Dark Season
by Bojack727
Summary: Assassins have been sent to kill the Spirit Detectives. But while Yusuke, Kurama, & Kuwabara fight off both demons and humans, a new plot begins inside the city itself. And without Hiei, the trio must rely on new allies to battle the attackers. Please R
1. Chapter 01: The Strangers

Revised as 7-21-09

This will be the edited version of the first chapter. I realized that it could be a lot better, so I set out to try and improve it. So at any rate, this can at least be seen as an improvement over the first draft.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 01: "The Strangers"**

**.o.o.o.**

The wind blew across his face. The man was tall and slender, and well dressed in a black suit and red tie- complete with a silver clip. His hair was jet black and was slicked back neatly and wore a pair of small glasses over his strangely gray eyes. He turned slowly to face the trio standing before him. He reached up and covered his mouth, clearing his throat and offering a smile.

The man in the suit held out his arms in a friendly gesture as a light breeze moved between them. His thin lips curled into a smile as he began to speak. "Thank you, all of you, for coming." He spoke in a cordial tone to them.

The city line could be seen behind him, like a massive theatrical backdrop. He spoke once more with the cloudless blue sky behind him. "I have called you here today because I have need of your services." He explained, crossing his arms- the brass buttons on his sleeves catching the light of the midday sun nicely.

The penthouse was secluded on top of a large office building in the heart of the city's business district. It was largely obscured from view by the people in the city. The man in black crossed his arms behind his back and looked out onto the city. "The dreams of my employers will soon be realized- but there are many obstacles standing in the way." He paused. "…Chief amoung them are the Spirit World Agents."

One of the trio stepped forward. He had long black hair that down along his back and against the sides of his face. He was dressed in a simply full-length mens kimono. He wore straw sandals and a samurai-style katana was tucked into his dark blue obi. His eyes were covered with a blindfold, but he seemed to know where everyone was. "Don't waist our time- get to the point Harada."

The business man glanced over at the swordsman and smiled. "Right to the point, as usual, eh Kagamaru?" He asked in a somewhat weary tone. "Very well then- I'll forgo the alliterations and get to the point…" He reached into his jacket and withdrew a a small three photographs.

Off to the side, a very tall man sat at a table, silently watching the scene unfold. He had his long brown hair pulled tightly into a braided ponytail in the back and sideburns ran down along his jaw. He was dressed in tasseled brown jacket and worn in jeans, along with snake-skin boots. He had small gold ear rings in both ears and a small scar resided over his right eyebrow.

He poured wine into a glass and set the bottle down on a round patio table that was covered with a red and white checker-pattern table cloth. He smiled, taking a sip from it. His crimson eyes narrowed in amusement while he listened to the others conversing.

Another one of the figures stepped forward. He was tall and lanky, dressed in a simple maroon shirt and black pants and leather jackboots. He was very pale and his long dark brown hair was bound in the back. Two white locks of hair hung down in front of his face while the hair ran white on the sides. His sideburns extended out across his cheeks and hair marked his chin in the style of s soul patch.

He held out a hand with long slender fingers. White bands were tide around his sleeves and kanji charms hung from them. "Harada, what is it that you want us to do?"

Harada looked up at him and smiled in response. He adjusted his glasses and placed something in his hand. "Puppet Master," He began. "You, along with Kagamaru, and Shrapnel," He spoke, nodding to the third figure- who was covered in a thick hooded cloak.

"…Will kill the Spirit Detectives." He added with a smile and handed the other two photos to the swordsman and the cloaked figure. The all looked down at the glossy photos in their hands.

"Yusuke Urimeshi…" Kagamaru remarked, staring at the photo intently, despite the fabric over his eyes. He quickly tucked the picture into his kimono and looked back up- casting his 'gaze' towards Harada. "Interesting…" He muttered simply and crossed his arms.

Puppet master looked down at his- the photo was of Kuwabara. He frowned, is if somehow disappointed. "How come I get the clown?" He asked curtly. "Killing him won't even be worth my time." He complained.

"Don't be so sure of that." Shrapnel spoke in a muffled whisper, while looking down at the photograph of Kurama in 'his' hand. "Underestimating one opponent is the greatest mistake a warrior can make- besides, you should know by now not to judge something soley by its appearance." Shrapnel admonished. "That 'clown', as you call him, has killed quite a few powerful demons."

Puppet Master turned to look at the concealed warrior and growled. "That's easy for you to say," He exclaimed in frustration. "You get to go after the reincarnation of the legendary Youko." He snapped back. "…While I get the damn human."

Harada intervened, grinning at the other man. "You should give the boy more credit," He began coolly. "Kazuma Kuwabara is descended from a long line of powerful mystics and warriors." He explained. "His mastery of Rei-ki and his extra-sensory perception make him very formidable."

Puppet Master thought about the last bit of information for a moment. He looked back at Harada. "Sure, what the hell..." He replied. "It might be fun after all… If he's the kind of man you say he is- then he may be the entertainment I've been looking for."

Harada turned to Kagamaru and approached him, stopping at his side. "Yusuke Urameshi is strong- dangerously so. However, he lacks focus and- like most humans- does little more then act on his emotions." He explained. "I feel that this is something that you can use to your advantage."

The man in the tasseled jacket continued to watch the scene. He set the now empty glass down and took a seat, crossing his legs as he leaned back in the chair. A black cat walked up and hopped onto the table the man and the cat appeared to exchange a glance and then looked back up. "Dead man walking…" He whispered with a smile while petting the cat.

Harada then turned to face Shrapnel. "Kurama is a tactician and very dangerous, but he has his limits, like anything else." Harada explained. "So I feel that you are best suited for this because of your unique abilities and experience." He added, regarding the other warrior.

The cloaked figure, easily the shortest of the trio, seemed to laugh from deep within the heavy garment. A large object stuck up into the air behind the cloak, it was wrapped up in canvas and bound with rope. "None of his clever little plans will stop me- he'll soon learn what it means to fight a real opponent."

"There's one thing wrong with this picture," Puppet Master interjected. "I seem to recall that there was a forth member of the team- what about him?" He demanded; looking over at Harada expectantly, along with the other two.

He smiled darkly at them. "If by that, you mean Heie…" He began. "...It would seem that he has hidden himself deep within the Demon World- probably somewhere in the heart of Mukuro's territories." He explained in an even tone. "We don't really expect him to come to the mortal world right now, but rest assured that we are investigating him even as we speak."

"The bottom line is that I want them all dead… I can't have those meddlers sticking their noses where they don't belong." He explained. "Now that we've cleared all of this up, I think it's time that you set about eliminating your targets." Harada finished, tucking his hands into his trouser pockets.

Kagamaru nodded and walked away, towards the elevator. The Puppet Master smiled and put the picture of Kuwabara in his pocket before walking towards the edge of the roof and stepping off of it. Shrapnel tucked the picture of Kurama away and vanished in a cloud of smoke.

At last, Harada turned to face the other man sitting nearby and grinned strangely at him. "What do you think, Gado?" Harada asked, walking over to him. "I'd like to know you're on my choice of assassins?" He asked coolly as he pulled up the chair next to him and sat down.

The man smiled, and rested his chin in his hand, his palm brushing against a thin layer of stubble as he thought about it. He smiled and looked up at him, crossing his arms as he did so. "Well, they seem eager enough." He began. "But desire and reality are two very different things."

The tall man took the bottle of wine and filled the glass again while Harada watched him with a smile. "The others will be here soon- then we can get started with the next phase of the plan." He explained in an even tone. "...I still have a few loose ends to wrap up- but they shouldn't take long."

Gado twirled the glass around in his hand, watching the wine shift and move around inside it. After a moment, the liquid began to bubble slightly as the tall man smiled strangely, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the glass. The black cat hopped off of the table- back onto the floor. It turned to look back over its shoulder.

Red light shown on the lenses of Harada's glasses as he watched the glass explode in the other man's hand- only to be replaced with a small reddish ball of flame in his open palm. The man moved his hand up to his face and pursed his lips. He blew gently at the fire and extinguished it. The entire time, he remained silent.

**.o.o.o.**

The five youths (though only in appearance for two of them) made their way up a curving flight of stone steps that adorned an isolated path in the mountains. The final destination they had in mind was the compound of the renowned (and retired) psychic fighter- Genkai.

Kuwabara had been the catalyst for the outing, he'd simply wanted to pay a certain little ice maiden a visit. As for the others, well- Yusuke had been roped into going when Keiko had learned of it. He'd grumbled a bit, but conceded that he actually wanted to see how 'the old lady was doing.'

Keiko admonished him for being so rude- much to the amusement of Kuwabara and Botan. For her part, the Grim Reaper Girl also wanted to check in with Genkai, as well as pay a visit to Yukina- whom she'd grown rather fond of. Kurama had been the last to join their excursion, having appeared abruptly and asking to join them. Like the others, he also wished to check up on their old mentor.

They paused when they reached the protective wards and glanced up at the top of the steps where they could just see a bit of the compound. The tall, orange-haired young man smiled to himself and quickly made his way up the steps- easily sensing that Yukina was nearby. "Alright, we're almost there." He announced.

Yusuke tucked his hands in his pockets and kept moving while Keiko chatted with Botan. The two girls had grown close over the years and he was secretly glad that Keiko and Botan had become such good friends, and of course it also meant that she had another girl to relate to. Not that he didn't like being around her, but he sometimes sensed that she felt a little out of place with him and the guys, so he reasoned having someone to be 'girly' with was good for her.

Kurama glanced at the various people around him, noting how close they'd become over the years. It had been a little over two years since the end of the Demon tournament and he was glad to be back 'home' as it were.

They'd all changed some, but mostly they were the same people they'd always been. He started putting his long sleek red hair into a ponytail- a subtle change, but something to denote that his human form was changing as well. As he got into his later teens- his ability to see things close up had degraded. He could have simply altered his chi, but instead opted to wear glasses (at least when he was home or in class). Botan has sqealed in delight when she saw him wearing them- remarking that they made him look 'very scholarly.'

As for the others, well- Yusuke had stopped slicking his hair all the time- which Keiko was fine with. However, he'd also recently stopped shaving, something that she was not as nearly enamored with. As for Keiko, she looked much as she always had. Though she'd matured and was clearly blossoming into a woman.

Kuwabara had also stayed much the same, but his changes were still apparent. He'd sometimes pull his hair back into a tie in the back, or could slick it if he felt so inclined. The biggest change being how much more calm he'd become as time went on. And with this new-found adultness, he'd been better able to articulate his feeling to Yukina- feelings that the Ice Spirit was eventually able to reciprocate as time went on.

Then of course, there was the missing member of their little group (not that he'd ever really socialized with them though). He and Kuwabara had vanished during the incident with the "Shadow Leep Stone"- appearently ending up in some sort of alternate reality. Kurama had noted how he seemed much more introspective and restrained afterwards.

Heie never spoke in great detail about what had happened in that dark alternate world- becoming evasive when asked about it. Still, Kurama was able to get an answer from on one issue... The small fire demon had cryptically explained he'd performed the blood transfer to ensure that someone else (namely Kuwabara) would be around in the very long term to keep an eye on Yukina… if something were to befall him.

Kurama nodded to himself. 'Well, my friend- it looks like we're going to be seeing that human around far longer then we thought.' Kurama commented silently as he glanced briefly at Kuwabara- sensing the trace amount of demon blood in him.

…

At the top of the staircase, Kuwabara quickly set out to find Yukina- the bond they shared made it easy for him to locate her. She was sitting in one of the gardens in the front of the compound and looked up with a smile when the tall orange-haired young man appeared at her side.

Delicate features curved into an attractive smile while crimson eyes sparkled. "Kazuma, how are you?" Yukina asked in a sweet voice as he neared. She quickly brushed the dirt from her hands and walked over to greet him.

Because he was so much taller then her, Kuwabara had to slouch down a bit to get closer to Yukina. He smiled warmly at her and took her small hand in his. "Perfect, now that I'm near you." He replied.

The Ice Maiden felt her cheeks redden from his declaration. Truthfully, she was only starting to understand what the human really meant to her and the strange way he made her feel when he said and did certain things. "Oh my… Kazuma, you're making me blush…" She confessed; glancing away as he her pale skin flushed a rosy color.

Yusuke rolled his eyes, but Keiko gave him a nudge in his side, causing him to turn to glance at her. The little brunet smirked at him and turned back to Kuwabara and Yukina- who were sitting on the steps of the compound.

Kurama looked at the two of them and turned to Botan. "Well, it would seem that those two have things pretty much worked out." He remarked to the blue-haired reaper standing beside him.

Botan nodded. "Young love- it's so sweet." She said in a dreamy tone. "If only Yusuke could pick up on some of Kuwa's ways, then he might have an easier time in his relationship." She added sagely as the two of them looked on.

The Ferry Girl looked over at Kurama, noting how he'd changed subtly over the years. He seemed… well, more masculine now. He'd been a very attractive youth, but now he was becoming what she would call 'handsome'. The blue-haired girl cursed the fact that getting involved with co-workers was a no-no in Spirit World. Oh well…

"I'm glad we can all get together like this again," Botan began. "It's nice to be able to see the others again." She remarked.

"Not quite," Kurama shook his head. "One is missing." He replied to the blue-haired girl.

Yusuke popped up between the two of them, startling Botan in the process. He snaked an arm around each of them. "Yeah, now that you mention it, where the heck is Hiei anyway?" He asked loudly. "What could be keeping him so busy in demon world that he can't pay us a visit?"

Kurama slipped out from under the dark-haired young man's arm and smiled at him. "Actually, it's not so much a matter of _what_, but rather _who_ is keeping his busy." He offered with a devious smile as he walked by him.

A look of confusion passed over Yusuke's face as the fox passed him. Others, however, picked up on the innuendo in his words. Kuwabara flushed slightly- he'd met Mukuro briefly during a mission in Demon World. She was somewhat distant most of the time, but at times- she had betrayed a more relaxed manner. From what little he know about her, the notion of the two of them somehow made sense.

"Hiei has to live his own life…" Kuwabara stated from his spot on the steps, beside Yukina. "If he's found _something_ important in Demon Wolrd… then that's what matters." He finished, looking up as Yusuke walked over him.

Raizen's descendant smiled down at him, his slight facial hair visible as he leaned forward. "You know, I'd like to know when the two of you got so tight with each other." He asked, tucking his hands in his pockets.

Kuwabara looked up at him for a moment. "People can change…" He told him. "We went through a lot together in that terrible place." He explained cryptically.

Yusuke nodded and straightened back up. He smiled down at Kuwabara as a sense of understanding passed through him at that moment. "Yeah… I guess that makes sense." He replied, glancing off to the side. "...Well, I'd better go check on Grandma and see how she's doing." He finished and ascended the steps up into the compound.

Keiko smiled at the human and the Ice Apparition and then moved to follow Yusuke as he walked further into the structure.

Kurama watched with a smile and then turned to look at Botan. "I think I'll go check on the garden- my specimens should be almost ready to bloom by now." He explained with a quick glance into the distance. "Would you care to join me?" He asked courteously. Botan nodded with a quick smile and followed Kurama off into another part of the compound.

**.o.o.o.**

Yusuke and Keiko walked down the long hall. The wooden floor and walls picked up the glow from the lamps as they moved. Keiko glanced down at Puu- in her arms- and gave him a pat on the head. She looked over the dark-haired youth walking along beside her.

"You really care about him, don't you?" Keiko asked with a gentle expression on her face. He looked over at her, his gaze showing some small amount of confusion on his part. "…I mean Kuwabara- admit it, he's important to you."

The young man sighed and crossed his arms behind his head as they continued walking. "…You make it sound like I'm gay for him." He replied with a frown. He exhaled. "...But yeah, the big oaf is like a brother to me… He's as close to family to me as anyone could get." He added with a calm look on his face. "But you better not tell him I was saying this stuff!" He replied abruptly.

She nodded with a smirk. "Don't worry, Yusuke, you're secret is safe with me." She assured him.

Yusuke shrugged and stepped under an archway, out into the courtyard. "Hey, Grandma, how you doing?" He asked loudly and glanced around.

Keiko glanced to the side and spotted something. She quickly grabbed his arm. "Look!" She exclaimed, pointing to the left. "It's Genkai!" She blurted out as Yusuke spotted the motionless form of the Psychic Master laying on the ground, under the branches of an old tree.

He rushed over to her and glared at her. "What the hell happened?!" He exclaimed, checking to see if she was still alive. "Who got to her?" He thought out loud as Keiko rushed over to join him. "I don't understand... how could anyone get the drop on her…?" He wondered, noting that she was unconscious and not responding at all.

"So that is really the legendary Genkai?" A voice asked from behind them. They turned to see a man standing on the awning covering the nearby walkway. He was wearing a man's kimono, complete with a katana tucked into the sash around his waste. He glanced down at them- his covered eyes seeming to spot the two of them somehow.

He leapt up into the air and landed in a crouching position off to the side of where Yusuke and Keiko stood. Yusuke stepped in front of her and narrowed his eyes as the stranger slowly rose to his feet. "Who the hell are you and what did you do to her?!" He demanded, pointing a finger at him.

The man frowned. "Though old, your teacher is truly powerful and would have still proved difficult to deal with in a head-on fight." He paused and held up what looked to be a kunai with a small round object fixed to it. "A gas bomb… The bobble attached to this releases a potent vapor that can render anyone unconscious for many hours." He explained with a frown. "I really don't like using subterfuge… but it was necessary to remove her from the playing field."

Yusuke clenched his fist angrily as the man put the bomb away. "You still haven't said who you are or why you're here." He spat back.

He rested his hands on his hips, hitching his thumbs into his sash. "I am known as Kagamaru- the one who is cursed to walk in darkness." He replied, taking a step towards them. "...And I have come here to kill you." He added bluntly. He then paused and looked at Keiko briefly. "…However, as a warrior- I only fight those who can fight back." He added.

"...So no harm shall come to either the girl or the old woman." He announced. He then reached down and clutched the long handle of his sword firmly and drew it out from the sheath. He pointed the blade towards Yusuke. "My fight is with you, and you alone."

Yusuke turned to Keiko. "Quick, get Genkai and get the hell out of here!" He ordered before turning back to face his challenger. "I don't really give a crap who you are- the only important thing is that if you've come looking for a fight- then you'll get it!"

Kagamaru smiled broadly at the declaration. "Excellent, that's just what I expected- now show me your true power." He spoke as Yusuke took up a defensive position. Kagamaru shifted his stance and gripped the handle of his katana with both hands and lifted blade up beside his head.

**(- End of Episode 01 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

I'm actually going to try and format this series to run more like the anime with a clear beginning and end for each installment.

I've been wanting to post this story for a while now- I've been tossing it around for a few years and it would have come out long ago, but the original draft is gone- taking a good deal of its creative energy with it.

I'm pretty happy with this and I hope you all like it too. I'll have more to say in later chapters, but for the moment- I'm looking forward to working on this.

-Bojack727


	2. Chapter 02: Fighting Blind

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 02: **

"_**Fighting Blind"**_

Yusuke clenched his fist angrily as the man tucked the smoke bomb back inside his light blue yukata. "You still haven't said who you are or why you're here." He spat back. A breeze passed between them, rustling the grass and below them.

"I am Kagamaru- the one who is cursed to walk in darkness." He replied cryptically. "And I have come here to kill you." He added bluntly. "…However, as I am an honorable man- no harm shall come to either the girl or the old woman." He explained, drawing his sword and pointing it at Yusuke.

Yusuke turned to Keiko. "Quick, get Genkai and get the hell out of here!" He ordered before turning back to face his challenger. "I don't really give a crap who you are- the only important thing is that if you've come looking for a fight- then you'll get it!"

Kagamaru grinned broadly at the declaration. "Excellent, that's just what I expected- now show me your true power." He spoke as Yusuke took up a defensive position. Kagamaru, in turn, shifted his stance as well and gripped the handle of his katana with both hands- so the blade pointed forward at Yusuke.

**...o.o.o...**

What had recently been little more than an unused spot of soil was now a garden that overlooked a valley full of trees. Countless types of flowers grew all over, including various special types of flowers created Kurama.

He'd taken seeds and cell-samples from makai and had created a large array of specialized hybrids. These plants, while cousins of more deadly varieties, were harmless, and could actually thrive in the soil the human realm. He lifted up a flower with multicolored petals and spotted leaves and smelled it. "A subtle aroma…" He mused. "Very much like wine."

…

Kuwabara sat calmly in the grass at the top of hill, looking out at the horizon line over the tree tops. He smiled, crossing his legs while stealing a quick glance at the small Ice Maiden sitting down beside him. She blushed and smiled back at him- the red flush of her cheeks matching her crimson eyes.

The companionship they felt between them was pleasant. Yukina savored both the physical presence and emotional boost that Kuwabara offered. She silently marveled at how close they'd become. While she cherished her friendship with Botan and Keiko and even Shizuru, there was something deeper in what she had with the young man beside her.

She felt almost giddy as she speculated if her feeling were romantic ones. If so, then she was confident that she had passed a significant emotional hurdle in her life… _Loving someone completely._

"Kazuma?" She asked softly when she noticed he'd gone silent. She reached out and touched his cheek with her small hand- the fingertips brushing against his flesh. "Kazauma, is something wrong?" She asked meaningfully.

He snapped back to reality and looked over at her. "Yukina…" He murmured suddenly. "Something's wrong!" He exclaimed and jumped up onto his feet, skidding slightly in the soft grass as he moved. "Quick, we have to find the others." He spoke over his shoulder towards Yukina.

Improvising, Yukina hitched the base of her kimono up a little and ran alongside Kuwabara as best as she could. She felt no need to delve deeper into his concern, over the years she'd come to understand and recognize the value of his intuition.

As the two of them reached the garden, they stopped in front of Kurama, who was now standing up straight- the flowers now forgotten. "Hey! Yo Kurama, someone just walked over my grave!" Kuwabara exclaimed as he skidded to a hault.

"Kurama," Yukina began. "Kazuma sensed something- do you know what's going on?" She exclaimed- concern visible on her face.

He regarded the pair. "No…" He answered in a strained voice. "I had felt passing chill, but if you sensed the same malevolent force… then something really must be wrong." He added.

"Quick, we gotta find Yusuke and the girls!" Kuwabara exclaimed, clenching his fist.

"Agreed." Kurama spoke with a nod of affirmation.

**...o.o.o...**

Yukina had been adamant that she stay with them, citing that she was far safer with the two spirit fighters then if she were to stay in the garden. Both had agreed and the three of them had taken off down a few halls of the compound, till they reached the courtyard.

Kuwabara saw Keiko attempting to move Genkai's motionless body with some difficulty and rushed over to her. Botan finally appeared alongside Yukina as Kurama rushed over to join the other fighter.

"Keiko, is she…?" Kuwabara asked gravely as he moved in towards her. He was quick to place his fingertips against her neck. Finding a pulse, he looked back up. "She's unconscious… how?" He wondered aloud.

Kagamaru glanced to the side. "…An audience?" He asked rhetorically. "Really, I didn't take as going in for theatrics." He added before lunging at Yusuke.

The swordsman swung his katana effortless and the blade seemed to cut through the air itself with a hiss. Yusuke leapt backwards as the sword slashed into the earth, sending up soil and grass in the process. Kagamaru became still again and held up his sword dramatically, before moving in to attack with a quick thrusting motion.

Once again, Yusuke had to step erratically to the side to avoid the katana driving into him like a hammered stake. Kagamaru seemed to tense slightly and then began slashing at Yusuke at a frantic pace.

"Urimeshi, hold on- I'm coming!" Kuwabara began to exclaim, but stopped when Yusuke glared at him.

"Stay out of this!" The youth snapped. "This creep picked a fight with me!" He added, stopping to glare at him. Yusuke quickly realized the foolishness of this move, and nearly lost his right arm getting back out of the samurai's way.

"…Careless." Kagamaru commented with distaste as he leapt up into the air and struck Yusuke in the side of the head with the handle-end of his sword. Yusuke went skidding across the ground. Kagamaru landed effortlessly on his feet and looked down at him. "Next time, you won't recover from my blow."

Kuwabara glared at the attacker and turned to Kurama. "Get the girls out of here while I keep an eye on things." He told him. Before Kurama could say anything else, Kuwabara cut him off. "I'm staying… When it comes to a fight, I know Urimeshi better than anyone."

Kagamaru held up his sword and ran towards Yusuke. He leapt into the air and came down at Yusuke, swinging his sword down at him. Then, suddenly, his clapped his palms together- trapping the blade between them. "What?" The samurai exclaimed in surprise.

He extended his pointer fingers while still holding the blade in place. "Spirit… Gugh—" He got out before Kagamaru yanked the sword downward and drawing blood in the process.

Yusuke jumped back into an open doorway and pulled it shut, smearing blood across the surface from his wounded palm. The sword burst through the thin paper door, forcing Yusuke to flip backwards is if he were performing a bad German Suplex by himself. The door split in two as Kagamaru burst through it.

The samurai plunged the katana down at him, but Yusuke rolled to the side and the blade imbedded into the wooden floor. Yusuke looked upward and kicked him in the chest, launching him back outside. Impressively, Kagamaru held onto the sword.

**...o.o.o...**

Kuwabara, now alone, watching in amazement as the stranger went flying back into the courtyard. He landed on his back, but quickly flipped backwards and onto his feet. However, he didn't have enough time to react to the spirit gun's blast striking him between the eyes and launching him onto his back.

"Holly crap!" Kuwabara exclaimed as the sword went flying and landed in the dirt near him. He looked over to the side as Yusuke emerged, his hands bloodied and the smoke coming from the tip of his right pointer finger. "Urimeshi, you sent that jerk into orbit!" He called out.

In shock, Kuwabara jumped back as the sword left the ground and flew at Yusuke like an arrow. He gasped as it grazed across his shoulder, tearing through fabric and parting the flesh superficially. It imbedded in the wall behind him. He gripped his shoulder and looked over at Kagamaru, who was now sitting up. "Well, someone's watched Star Wars, eh?" He asked.

"…It was a formidable gambit to be sure." Kagamaru remarked. "You actually stunned me enough to impair my aim. Under normal circumstances, that would have taken your head off." He added, getting to his feet. "However, I'm tired of trading parlor tricks with you." He began as he got to his feet. "I'm going to show you a technique that I haven't used in quite some time."

With that, Kagamaru stepped back from Yusuke and held up his hands, gesturing with them. _"Shroud of Darkness… come forth!"_ He exclaimed loudly.

The entire area went cold and Yusuke could only see pitch blackness in front of him. He felt a chill when he realized that he couldn't even see his own hand in front of his face. "What the hell?" He called out, whipping his head around, trying to find anything to visually anchor himself to. "Hey, what the hell did you do to me?"

_"__Cast down my enemy- Shroud of Darkness!"_

Kuwabara looked at Yusuke in total bewilderment as Yusuke staggered backwards, palming his eyes and gasping. "Hey, Urimeshi, what's wrong with you- what the heck did he do?" He asked; panic beginning to filter into his voice.

Yusuke whipped his head around, staring off at nothing as he stumbled around. "Oh my god… I'm blind!" He turned around wildly and tripped, falling forward into the grass and tried to find something get a hold of.

Kagamaru frowned. "Can't you accept the situation and try to die with dignity?" He asked darkly, holding up his sword in one hand. "It's not as if there's anything you can do… and I don't want to have to drag this out anymore." He explained.

Kuwabara watched in horror as the gravity of the situation dawned on him. "Crap!" He thought silently, taking a step back. "There has to be something I can do…" He fumed as he slumped down onto his hands and knees and looked on at the scene unfolding. "…Even if I jump in, he'd probably do the same thing that he did to Urimeshi to me." He thought.

He slammed his fist against the floor. "Come on, think!" He berated himself. He became silent for a moment and then slipped back into the corridor, out of sight. "Crap… I don't know if this'll even work… but I've got to try!" He thought frantically. He then straightened himself out and tried to focus his mind…

**...o.o.o...**

Kagamaru shook his head. "Long ago, an ancient spirit performed the same technique on me… it was a punishment for my vanity… and with it, came the curse of never dieing." He explained.

"There's nothing you can do… I'm sorry to end it like this, but you're simply too dangerous to take on in a head-on battle." Kagamaru conceded. "Take heed in that." He added calmly as he began walking slowly towards Yusuke. He knew that even blind, the young might still be able to detect him some other way…

"…As long as I suppress my spirit energy, he can't sense me." The samurai thought to himself as he took a step forward without making any noise. "The only thing he has now is sound." He finished. "So I'll end this quick and painlessly."

"_Urimeshi, it's me… don't answer out loud, just think what you want to say."_

"K- Kuwabara?" He thought. "Is that you? What are you doing?" He continued in silence as his attacker advanced towards him.

"_I think I can zero in on that guy… by channeling my awareness through you… I don't know if it'll work though…"_

"…Any chance is better than nothing." He thought, communicating to his friend. "Fine, do whatever it takes!" He finished.

**...o.o.o...**

"I… I'm getting something…" Kuwabara whispered to himself. He starred off into space and narrowed his eyes. "Urimeshi… I think I can sense him now." He added

Botan appeared and saw the young man sitting in the hall, murmuring softly to himself. She tensed up. "Kuwabara, what on earth are you d—" She began to say before she was cut off by when a pair of arms encircled her- a palm clamping down over her mouth in the process- and pulled her through a doorway, into another room. She panicked and started to struggle her unseen assailant but couldn't break loose from his grip. She became still and stole a quick glance upwards.

'Kurama?' She tried to say through the hand covering her mouth. She frowned and became still in the hopes that he'd release her. He glanced down, his brilliant green eyes peering down at her amidst locks of bright red hair.

He made a 'shushing' sound and slowly slid his hand off of her mouth. She gasped and lurched forward when he released her. She turned back to face him. "What's going on with Kuwabara out there?" She asked abruptly.

She crossed his arms. "To be honest, I don't know… but I don't think it's wise to disturb him right now." He replied. "From what little I could put together by looking, it's as if he's place himself into a self-induced trance." He finished, rubbing his chin as he spoke.

Botan looked out into the hall and then turned back to Kurama. "What can we do?" She asked nervously.

He looked over at her. "Nothing…"

**...o.o.o...**

"…_Alright Urimeshi, we've got to wait till the last possible moment before attacking… it's the only way we can get him."_ Kuwabara thought as he looked ahead, seeing the samurai walking towards them- their thoughts now linked.

"…_Crap, I hate this… But I don't have any other choice… do I?" _Yusuke thought. _"Right, I'll put it all on the line then… whatever happens now, I…" _He hesitated to finished the thought. He dug his fingers into the ground, feeling the grass and dirt in his clenched hands. He opened them again, releasing the contents back into the earth.

Kuwabara felt the sensation of sweat bead and run down the side of his face. He wondered if he was sweating, or if it was Yusuke and he was just experiencing it with him. Perhaps it was both of them. _"Y-yeah… the Punks from Seriyashiki can handle anything…" _He mused. _"He's close… real close now… almost right on top of us…"_

Kagamaru looked straight down at the kneeling form of Yusuke Urimeshi and raised his sword up. He readied himself and tightened his grip around the handle of his sword. The blade came down.

Yusuke swung his hand up. "Spirit—"

"—Sword!" Kuwabara cried out.

The blast shot straight up at Kagamaru, striking him squarely between the eyes launching him into the air. He came crashing down onto the ground- where he lay motionless. His katana ended up embedding itself into the compound's roof, nearby.

Yusuke gasped and fell face-first into the soil and blacked out.

Kuwabara's eyes shot open and he gagged, trying to draw air back into his lungs. He turned to the side in time to see Kurama and Botan come running up to him. "Umm… hey, help me up." He asked dully, his voice flat as he eyes remained unfocused.

Kurama gripped his arm and helped the taller man to his feet. Kuwabara struggled to keep his knees from buckling. "Kuwabara, what happened?" He asked.

He looked over at the redhead and smiled strangely. "That guy… he's finished…" He managed to say as he leaned his head back against the wall, breathing slowly and trying to get his eyes to focus on something. "Urimeshi is…" He slurred, trying to speak. "Urimeshi is out cold." He managed to say.

**...o.o.o...**

Kuwabara staggered out into the courtyard and looked around. He glanced over at Yusuke and ran over to him, tripping on the soft terrain before stopping to kneel down beside him. "…Alive." He muttered and fell back into a sitting position.

Botan and Kurama emerged from the doorway and the Redhead looked at the sitting figure of Kuwabara and then at Yusuke, who was motionless. He then glanced over at Kagamaru while Botan ran over to join Kuwabara.

Kurama made his way over to where he lay in the grass, on his back- facing the sky. His green eyes peered down at the fallen swordsman. "What have you done to him?" He asked. Kagamaru held up a hand, as if motioning for him to come closer. Kurama nodded and kneeled down beside him. "I'm listening." He remarked simply. "Now explain…"

Kuwabara and Botan looked over to the side as Kurama spoke to Kagamaru. "…I robbed him of sight. I don't know how long the curse will last… my opponents have never lived after it was cast… So I'm sorry if I can be of any help to you in that regard."

"You still haven't explained who you are or why you attacked us." Kurama pointed out as he looked down at the swordsman.

"…Spirits are such fragile being… it's so easy to be controlled by another for their own gains."

"I've lived for too long, far longer than any man should…" He began. "Cetnuries ago, I was a great swordsman and no one could defeat me. Such was my hubris that I began seeking out stronger and more deadly enemies to fight… but one battle proved very costly." He paused. "…I was too confident, and the spirit beat me, however- instead of killing me- it cursed me with blindness and eternal life."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kurama asked.

"…The curse would only end if I was defeated…" Kagamaru replied. "I joined forces with him in the hopes of fighting the boy… knowing that he might be the one to end my life." He explained.

He reached up and grabbed Kurama's shoulder and pulled him down closer and he lifted his head up a little. "Y- y- you must beware… the others will come to finish what I was unable to do… The Disciples will come for him… and then they will come for the rest of you."

Then, Kagamaru's grip slackened and his hand fell off of him and he dropped back onto the ground. This time, he really was gone. Kurama stood up and sighed. "A warning… perhaps of things to come?" He mused.

Kuwabara suddenly felt something calming and looked over his shoulder as Yukina ran over to where he sat. "Kazuma… are you alright? You look so pale." She asked nervously, crouching down beside him and resting one of her small hands on his shoulder.

He slowly looked turned to look at her and brushed the palm of his hand against her cheek and smiled. "I'm fine, I'm just a little shaken…" He replied.

Kurama returned to where Kagamaru lay and slid the katana back into the sheath and placed his back into his hands. He stood back up and turned to face the others. "This is only the beginning. Other fighters will come after us as well." He explained.

Botan looked at him. "Then you think this isn't over then?" She asked.

The fox spirit nodded and advanced towards them. "It's too early to know at this point, but I think we'd better brace ourselves for more attacks- most likely very soon." He replied as he passed her.

Kuwabara looked up at him. "Yeah… I figured that it wasn't that simple." He remarked. "This could be trouble…" He admitted, glancing over at Yukina and then back up and the redhead.

"With Yusuke incapacitated and Hiei missing… we're dangerously shorthanded." Kurama remarked. "…Something that our enemies will most certainly be aware of." He added, looking up at a nearby tree, just as a crow flew out of the branches.

Botan looked over the motionless Yusuke- Keiko kneeling down beside him. She glanced over at Kuwabara, who sat silently, slumping forward a bit. She then looked at Kurama, whose back was now facing her as he looked at the sky.

"…Well, I guess it's war."

**(- End of Episode 2 -)**

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

Well, something interesting about these chapters is that there's a lot going on in them. I'm actually having trouble fitting in all the key elements in each chapter while keeping them at a certain length. I'm having a lot of fun with this and I hope you all enjoy reading it too.

I've also learned this it's more challenging to write a scene for a large number of characters. I found it a lot easier back in the last story I wrote because it was a 'two-hander' most of time between Hiei and Kuwabara. This time, the average scene could have over four characters in it. I like to use all the characters in some way, so it often is a challenge to find room for them as the storyline gets bigger.

Well, later...

_-Bojack727_


	3. Chapter 03: The Wounded

Sorry that's taken such a long time to get this chapter out. I've been super busy recently, so it's been difficult to get things written. Though, I've recently managed to overcome a small writer's slump that I've been experiencing.

**. . .. ...o.o.o... .. . .**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 03: **

"_**The Wounded"**_

Kurama returned to where Kagamaru lay and slid the katana back into the sheath and placed his back into his hands. He stood back up and turned to face the others. "This is only the beginning. Other fighters will come after us as well." He explained.

Botan looked at him. "Then you think this isn't over then?" She asked.

The fox spirit nodded and advanced towards them. "It's too early to know at this point, but I think we'd better brace ourselves for more attacks- most likely very soon." He replied as he passed her.

Kuwabara looked up at him. "Yeah… I figured that it wasn't that simple." He remarked. "This could be trouble…" He admitted, glancing over at Yukina and then back up and the redhead.

"With Yusuke incapacitated and Hiei missing… we're dangerously shorthanded." Kurama remarked. "…Something that our enemies will most certainly be aware of." He added, looking up at a nearby tree, just as a crow flew out of the branches.

Botan looked over the motionless Yusuke- Keiko kneeling down beside him. She glanced over at Kuwabara, who sat silently, slumping forward a bit. She then looked at Kurama, whose back was now facing her as he looked at the sky. "…Well, I guess it's war."

**...o.o.o...**

He held the mobile phone up to the side of his head, listening intently to the information being relayed to him. Harada grinned strangely. "Incredible, the boy managed to defeat Kagamaru?" He asked calmly.

"Yeah, boss… we don't know the exact details yet, but the kid zapped him with that spirit gun trick of his." Gado's voice explained over the phone. "…Blew him away in one shot."

He leaned back into the seat inside the car of the bullet train. "Well now, that must have been quite a battle- I'm sorry to have missed it." He remarked, glancing out the window at the scenic countryside flying by as the train zipped along.

Gado was silent for a moment on the other end of the line. "Boss, you seem rather calm about all this." He commented. "Perhaps you planned for this…?" He asked coolly.

The dark-haired man smiled as he turned back to facing the back of the seat in front of him. "Kagamaru's failure is no great loss… however; the fact that he was able to blind the boy for the foreseeable future puts us in a better strategic position to deal with the three of them."

Harada paused. "Gather some of the others and take care of Yusuke Urimeshi while he lays helpless in a hospital bed." He instructed the man. "I'll leave the details to you to handle in a way that you deem fit."

"Of course," Gado replied. "Most of our allies are now here in the city… it will be an easy task." He paused. "What do you want done about the other two?"

Harada's smile widened. "Mr. Gado," He began in a cheerful tone. "As far as I'm concerned, they are to continue on with their respective missions." He answered. "I'm confident that you can take care of any possible irregularities."

"That's cool… no problem Mr. H." He countered simply.

"Excellent," Harada spoke. "Now, if you'll excuse me… the train is approaching my stop. And I have a seminar at the University of Tokyo to attend." He replied cheerfully.

Harada placed the phone back into his sleek leather briefcase and closed. He reached up to check his hair and glasses. He then adjusted his tie and looked up in time to see the train's sign display the station name as it pulled in smoothly.

**...o.o.o...**

Gado smiled and placed the phone back into its cradle. He turned to look as a door slid open and another man stepped through. He wore an old cowboy hat and a long duster jacket and boots. He smiled, making his unshaven face visible to the other man. "I hope I'm not too late for the party?" He asked Gado.

"Hello, Mr. _Badman_." He crossed his arms and regarded him. "You never did like to blend in, do you?" He asked with a strange smile. "Still, you'll be glad to know that things are just getting started." He explained. "The boss man is beginning the big plan at last."

The Badman- as the tall Japanese man called him- grinned at the piece of news And set out across the small room. "Well, then it looks like I didn't leave America for nothing then?" He mused. "So, what are we going to be doing?" He asked, pulling up a nearby seat in the sparse office room they were situation in.

Gado crooked his head to the side and grinned goofily at him, his small earrings catching the light from the fluorescent lamps above. "Most of the others are here in the city now, so we can move in force." Gado answered.

"Makimbi and Blade are here right now… and I'd like to have you along with us as well." He told the other man as he watched him pull up a chair beside him. "We've been keeping tabs on some particular troublemakers and we're going to be moving against them soon." He added.

Badman nodded and was quiet for a moment. "Sure, why not…" He replied. "It sounds fun." He put his boot-clad feet onto the table and pulled a cigarette out of his duster and placed it into his lips. He then looked at the other man for while, seeming to take in the words. "And where exactly are the others?" He asked simply before reaching into his coat. "I'm rather eager to see Shimmer again…"

Gado smiled. "Oh, they're here and there- keeping busy and staying out of trouble." He replied cryptically with a small grin. He then reached out and caught the other man's wrist. "As for _her_, well I'm almost certain that I sensed her reiki a few days ago."

Badman looked over at him, still clenching the cigarette in his mouth but not attempting to pull out his grip. Gado smiled at him and reached his hand out to the end the cigarette and lit by creating a flicker of flame on the tip of his pointer finger.

Badman smiled and quickly inhaled. Gado released his and leaned back in his chair, meeting the other man's gaze the whole time. He flipped up his hands as if to dismiss the action and simply smiled. "Nuts…" He remarked, taking the cigarette out his mound and looking at the other man. "You're totally fucking nuts."

**...o.o.o...**

Genkai glared out the window of the hospital room. Nearby, Yusuke lie in bed- still unconscious but calm. She felt countless energy signals all over the place, but nothing particularly powerful or demonic to garner her concern. She'd lived long enough and survived enough encounters to know not to jump the gun. She turned briefly and looked over her shoulder at the young man, his chest rising and falling calmly.

"…closest thing I have to a kid and it's a full time job making sure he stays alive." She mused. "Hah… what am I saying." She then thought. "Yusuke's grown up and he'd been taking care of himself for years." She admonished herself with a smile. "…Maybe," She spoke softly. "Maybe all this time you were teaching me something too."

She smiled and pulled up a chair next to his hospital bed and relaxed. Moments later, the door opened with a soft creaking sound. Genkai turned in time to see Keiko enter the room tentatively. She realized that the young woman was looking to her in hopes of some sort of reassurance for her. "Keiko…" Genkai began; the girl stopped and looked at her. "…you're a good woman." She spoke with an odd smile. "As for Yusuke, he'll be fine."

She nodded. "Yeah, I know… I just wish I could do more to help. I just feel so useless amidst all this trouble." She added, leaning against the wall of the room and looking at Yusuke while she spoke.

"I can understand that." Genkai replied. "But the only ones who can do anything about this are the guys and Botan." She added.

Keiko nodded. "I know, but it doesn't make it any easier to quit feeling like a spare part." She confided to the psychic master.

**...o.o.o...**

Kuwabara sat across the table from Kurama while the redhead spoke. "Given what we know now… that there are more of them inside the city, can you sense anything different?" He asked the other young man softly while they sat in the commissary of the hospital. "Anything out of place or strange might prove the difference." He added after considering his words.

Kuwabara sighed. "Well, now that we've been attacked, I'm getting some unusual vibes from all over the place… the whole city seems kind of tense." He replied. "Like the calm before a storm or… a big street brawl." He added, smiling as he thought of Yusuke while saying the last part. "But it's not… er, localized I think is the word, it's more like a scent in the air."

Kurama nodded in understanding. "That would make sense, as they'd probably be scattered all over the place, likely blended into the smaller readings of the general populace." He admitted.

Kuwabara leaned forward. "I'm worried about the others; do you think any of them are going to be targeted?" He asked.

Kurama shook his head. "No, at least not for the moment," Kurama answered. "We seem to be what they're after for the moment, but I do share your concerns about them though." Added.

"We've got too much ground to cover… especially without Hiei and Urimeshi." Kuwabara remarked. "I mean Yukina should be safe with my sis… but aren't you worried about your mom or your brother?"

Kurama shook his head and rubbed his thumb against the underside of his chin. "If anyone was foolish enough to attempt to take one of them hostage, then I'd kill them." He replied softly while looking at one of the large windows of the commissary. "Still, I've taken precautions for something like that."

At this point, Botan returned with a cardboard holder, carrying three drinks in plastic cups. She pulled up as seat and handed the two of them drinks. "I suppose that you two have been talking about our little problem?" She remarked, watching the two of them nod in affirmation. "So what do we do now?" She asked calmly.

Kurama crossed his arms. "The only thing we can do," he replied in a measured tone. "We wait…"

**...o.o.o...**

An old black two-seater truck with guard bars on the side of the bed rolled down the street. Badman sat in the bed, across from another figure- with gray skin and blue hair. He wore a pair of visor-style green shades covered his eyes.

He wore a pair of leather pants and boots and an open-jacket over what looked like body armor. "So what's the game plan?" He asked the man sitting across from him.

Badman looked over at him and smiled. "Well, it seems like we've finally been given the order to attack in force- the remaining targets are inside the hospital that we're headed for." He explained.

"But why so many of us at one time?" The other man asked.

Badman smiled and adjusted his hat. "Well, Shrapnel is going to go after her mark, and we're coming along to clean up what's left of that Urimeshi kid and keep the others from getting involved."

At that moment, a voice from inside the back row of the truck could be heard. A black man with short hair and brown eyes glared at them. "Just leave the punk to me man, I'll settle m' fist between his eyes." He announced coolly in a faded Kenyan accent.

Gado, who was sitting in front of him in the driver's seat, smiled and looked over at him. "Well, I guess that means that our esteemed Mr. Bantou is volunteering." He remarked, looking over at him and then back at the road.

The figure in the passenger seat remained silent, save for an occasional murmur of agreement. Violet-colored lips curved into a smile as light glinted off of golden earrings and other adornments. Gado looked over to the side, at the person in the passenger seat. "Tell me, Shimmer, you've been awfully quite since we set out, any reason why?" He asked as he pulled into the parking lot of the hospital.

The sun was descending rapidly into the horizon and the city was growing darker by the moment. Badman and Blade hopped out of the bed of the truck and landed deftly on their feat. She turned to him, as she reached over and opened the door, and smiled. "Just thinking about the mission, that's all." She replied. She reached out and took Badman's hand and touched down on the asphalt gracefully.

She nodded to him and smiled as he released her small, pale hand. The gunman turned to look over at Gado, who had stepped out of the truck, followed by Makimbi Bantou. He noted the tall man was carrying a bouquet of flowers in one hand. "What are the flowers for?" He asked.

Gado glanced over at him and held them higher and smiled. "Flowers… for the dead." He replied simply and motioned for them to head towards the front doors of the hospital. "Alright, you all know the drill…" He began.

**...o.o.o...**

The doors slid open automatically as Gado and the others entered the hospital. He motioned towards Blade and Shimmer and the two of them departed in opposite direction. Blade nodded and headed off towards the direction of the lobby.

Shimmer reached up and pulled away the silken garment she had draped around her figure and tossed it aside.

A slender female with pale skin and long violet hair and eyes was now visible. Her pointed ears were adorned with gold jewelry and a small gem was affixed to her forehead, along with one on her belly. A small glittering bikini-style style top covered her breasts and flowing reddish-purple sleeves attached to a choker covered her arms and ended at her wrists, along with bracelets. A bejeweled belt held matching leggings that covered her legs like chaps and came all the way down to her ankles along with anklets. Her feet were bare.

She smiled, and glanced over at Badman. "Don't stare my dear, we'll have plenty of time to play later." She told him coolly and began to walk away.

He smiled at her. "As always, your word is my command my sparkling goddess." He replied, watching her depart, glancing down at her backside as she sauntered down a hall. "What a woman." He remarked and turned to Gado, smiling in the process.

Gado grinned strangely. "Really, I wouldn't know…" He said simply and headed off. Badman and Makimbi following him.

The nurse sitting at the information desk looked up in time to see a tall man in a brown leather jacket carrying flowers. He was flanked by a fair-skinned man with a hat and duster and another man, dark-skinned and wearing a muscle shirt and shorts. She shrugged off the oddness of the trio. "Can I help you?" She asked.

They stopped. The tall one looked at her. "Aw yes…" He paused, glancing down at her ID. "Miss Hoshino," He continued with a broad smile. "My friend and I are here to pay a visit to someone in this hospital." He informed her, still holding on to the flowers as he spoke.

She sighed. "I'm sorry sir, but visiting hours are over- you can come back tomorrow during regular hours." She replied dispassionately with a small smile.

Gado glanced at the two men at either side of him and then back at the nurse. He smiled down at her and shrugged his shoulders. "Really, oh man… I can't believe it." He spoke in a slightly melodramatic tone. "And to think that we came all this way to see him too, I mean can you image our luck- we show up the visiting hours are over." He continued.

The nurse watched, mildly amused as the man in the duster uncrossed his arms. "Now that is crying shame… a really tragedy." He commented, reaching inside his coat as he spoke. "I mean, on one hand- we came all this way to see our friend," He began, still holding his hand under his coat. "But on the other hand, we certainly don't want to cause any trouble with these people here now do we?" He added, pulling his hand back out. "Don't want get bogged down in drama!"

Gado and Makimbi smiled as the gun fired and the nurse flipped out of the chair and onto her back. Badman blew smoke away from the barrel and put the pistol back under his coat.

Gado hopped over the counter and pulled up the database on the computer. "Our friend Urimeshi is on the second floor in the recovery war in room 214." He spoke with a smile, facing Makimbi as he spoke.

Shimmer walked back into the area and smiled at the three of them. Bodies could be seen in the hall she came out of- lying face down, singed and smoking. She reached up and pulled a key card out of her top and held it up for everyone to see. "While I frying all the security footage, the security took issue wish my presence." She began, walking over to them next to the desk. "Well, let's just say that they won't be bothering us anymore." She finished, hopping up onto the counter and crossing one leg over the other.

Gado looked down at the nurse, splayed across the floor. He tossed the flowers down at her. "By now, I image Blade should be done with the stragglers in the waiting room." He commented with a cryptic smile. "And now, Mr. Bantou- I think it's time that you take care of Urimeshi." He finished.

Badman took Shimmer's hand and kissed it while she smiled down at him- her violet eyes meeting his strange red ones. Makimbi nodded and set out down a nearby hall, towards the closest elevator.

Gado smiled strangely, glancing at two of them. "All right you two… save if for after the fucking mission… we've got work to do here." He chastised them. "I for one want to see how things play out for our kickboxing friend." He added, waving his hand.

**(- End of Chapter 03 -)**

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

This chapter was running short at first, but after I finally got my second wind back and in the end it turned out to be too long for single chapter. Since I've decided to keep these limited to around 3000 words each, the rest of the chapter will be part of the next one.

From a writing standpoint, I really enjoy writing for the characters. The fact that Yusuke is incapacitated has given me a chance to shift the focus onto Kuwabara and Kurama and the other characters. The restructuring of the chapter sort of caused this chapter to be more about the bad guys.

See you all later,

_-Bojack727_


	4. Chapter 04: Dark Agendas

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 04:**

"_**Dark Agendas"**_

Everything went cold and dark for him. "Huh…?" Kuwabara dropped his cup, the drink falling to the table and spilling as it made contact. He looked around, at both Kurama and then Botan, as the sudden chill ran through him. "…Guys- something's wrong!" He blurted out as if in a panic.

"What are you talking about?" Botan asked, confused as she noted the frantic look on the young man's face. "Are you sens—" She began to speak, but was suddenly cut off.

"Oh my god, get down- quick!" Kuwabara cried out as he leapt to his feat and lunged forward, crabbing both of them and sending all three of them to the floor with a noisy clattering impact.

At that moment, a giant beam of pure blazing energy tore through the wall at the far end of the commissary and continued across the large hall- punching a hole through the wall on the other end and vaporizing anything its way. Kurama looked up, taking in the damage. "Assassins…" He uttered cryptically.

"They're here!" Kuwabara exclaimed- the three of them still hunkered down on the tiled floor. "And they're inside the hospital right now!" He added frantically, looking between the blue-haired fairy girl and the red-haired fox spirit.

Kurama nodded. "An attack on all fronts," He remarked. "I was afraid of this- they're coming after us in force to draw us out… to 'divide and conquer'." He explained. "They know we're weakened and this tactic is most certainly designed force us to separated and weaken us even further."

Kuwabara regarded the other fighters comment and sighed in frustration. "So, what can we do then- if you're right, no matter what we do, we'll be going up against odds that'll be stacked against us!" He replied.

Kurama nodded. "Correct, but it seems that we have little choice but to fight them on their terms." He answered. "Either way, this was inevitable- we have to make a stand!" He added, looking at the orange-haired man intently. "I'll deal with our friend out there while you get Botan safely out of the field of fire…"

Kuwabara nodded in understanding and grabbed the blue-haired girl by the wrist and quickly ran towards the door. He made sure to hunker down as he ran while putting an arm over her to keep her head down as well- the two of them managed to exit the room just as Kurama rolled over and got to his feet.

The red-haired young man ran towards the first blast hole and looked out of it. He glanced upwards, towards the night sky, to spot a cloaked figure standing on top of a building. The garment fluttered in the wind and a pair of eyes glowed eerily from inside the shadow of the hood.

The massive cannon the attacker held briefly caught the glint of a large neon sign nearby before it was hoisted up and aimed towards him again!

**...o.o.o...**

Kuwabara and Botan entered the front lobby of the hospital, only to stop when they spotted a figure seated daintily on the edge of the reception desk. The pale-skinned demoness looked over at the two of them and smiled attractively.

"Welcome," She cued softly with a smile, looking at the human and the grim reaper girl for a moment before uncrossing her legs. The fluorescent light twinkled against the jewels and sparkling silk of her clothing. "You must be Kazuma Kuwabara?" She asked in what might have been regarded as a flirty tone.

"We've been expecting you." She nimbly hopped off the counter and took a few steps towards them, her hips swaying provocatively with each step, her pale skin looking immaculate in the dull light. She stopped and looked at Botan, then smiled at her. "Well now, aren't you a pretty little thing- the boys must love you back in spirit world?" She asked mockingly.

Botan growled at the insinuation, but Kuwabara interceded and stepped forward- narrowing his eyes at the female demon standing before them. "I don't know who you are, but I warning you- we don't have time to fool around!"

"Such passionate words- I like you…" She smiled at him. "Now, now, love- don't get that exquisite blood of yours boiling just yet." She countered, holding up her hand- showing off her perfectly manicured nails. "By now, one of our agents is already closing in on your blind friend like a wolf to a wounded lamb… As for you two- you'll find me ready and willing to accommodate, both male and female." Shimmer explained coolly, licking her lips to highlight the undertones her words.

**...o.o.o...**

Genkai abruptly snapped to attention and turned to face the door to the room. "Keiko…" She began. "Stay in the room with Yusuke," she instructed. "I have to go check on something." She finished and got to feet. She quickly sprinted out of the room before the brunette could offer any protest.

The door swung open and the psychic master stepped out into the hallway. She stopped with she spotted a tall man standing about ten feet away and looking right at her. The man looked African, and had a buzz cut and was dressed up like a kick boxer.

"Don't tell me, you must the great psychic and fighter, Genkai?" He asked, his words tainted by a foreign accent. "I am Makimbi Bantou- a follower of the true path and member of the Disciples of Darkness." He said, introducing himself with a nod. "And I've come to kill the boy in the room there." He finished, punctuating his words as he pointed at the door with a gloved hand.

Genkai shook her head. "Sorry, but the kid's off limits." She replied, standing her ground. "Now get the hell out of this place while you still can." She added darkly.

His lips curved into a smile as he looked at the small woman. "Big talk for an old woman… especially for one who doesn't have any powers to speak of." He added in a chiding voice as he looked down at her. "Thirty years ago, I might have been scared by your tough talk- but you're time has passed and all frankly I don't have to time to bother with a relic like you."

Genkai held up her hands defensively and smiled menacingly at him. "Well, if I'm just an old relic- then you shouldn't have any problem taking me out." She countered, looking at him. "That is, if a 'kid' like you is man enough to take me on!"

Makimbi smiled and shook his head. "Fine by me you old bag- you want die that bad, then I'm more than happy to send you on your on way!" He finished and took up a fighting stance.

**...o.o.o...**

Shrapnel turned around as a thorny vine wrapped around the edge of the roof top and Kurama leapt through the air- landing on the paved rooftop with expert grace.

He rose and straightened out his clothes. "You went a lot of trouble to get my attention," Kurama called out, the wind causing his ponytail to flutter in the breeze dramatically as he spoke. "And now I'm here." He finished, reaching up to remove his glasses and tuck them into his jacket pocket.

The clouds moved overhead, altering the moonlight as they passed in front of the bright yellowish orb in the sky. The stars twinkled above the two of them as they peered at one another in silence.

"Excellent, at last- the genius tactician and thief of the spirit world arrives." Spoke a muffled voice from under the hood. "You don't know how long I've waited for a chance like this- to test my skills against a worthy opponent." Shrapnel added. "But even better- I become famous as the demon who killed the mighty Kurama!"

The cloaked figure plopped the massive cannon down onto the ground- bottom first- and held it steady with one hand. The other hand came up and gripped the top of the cloak around the neck and pulled at it. The garment tore loose and was cast aside to flutter away.

Kurama was taken back and stepped away a bit. "You- you're a—"

**...o.o.o...**

Shimmer smiled demurely at the two of them. "In truth, I don't really have any intention of fighting either of you; I'm just here to make sure you don't get in the way of our agent upstairs." She explained. She stopped and rested her hands on her hips.

"If you think we're just gonna stand around while you guys kill Urimeshi in bed, then you're dumber than I thought!" He exclaimed.

Botan gasped as something hard and metallic pushed up against her temple. Kuwabara turned around as Badman pulled the hammer of his gun back while keeping it pushed against her head. "That's right- neither of you are going anywhere." He added, grabbing Botan and twisting her arm behind her back while keeping the gun at her head.

The she-demon smiled at Kuwabara. "You see, this doesn't have to get bloody- we can just all sit tight till it's over with and no one needs to get hurt." She offered. "Otherwise something unpleasant would happen… and I'd hate to see someone as lovely as her killed for nothing."

"Don't think we haven't taken the girl's extra-natural nature into account," Badman remarked. "My energy flows through my weapons… making it a spirit attack, so shooting her would be quite fatal."

Kuwabara growled, but stepped back and relaxed his muscles. "You, how did you?" He blurted out, but slowly stepped back. "…You cowards." He murmured under his breath, glaring at the demoness and then back at then back at the one holding a gun to Botan- she trembled slightly.

"That's right; everyone just has to settle down and play nice." He explained to Kuwabara calmly. "That way I don't have to splatter your pretty friend's brains all over the white wall."

**...o.o.o...**

Genkai leapt back as Makimbi thrust his arm towards, failing to hit her as he attacked. She touched down and side-stepped a sidekick from her attacker. He pulled his leg back and reared back to kick at her with his other leg.

She ducked down as the leg swung over her head- a whooshing sound cut through the air above her. She stepped back again and exhaled briskly and wiped sweat from her brow. "Really, don't tell me that all those threats of yours were nothing more than empty threats?" She asked with a smile.

"Damn you!" He exclaimed and threw a punch at her. "I don't have to listen to your crap!" He exclaimed in anger. The small woman caught his hand in hers and smiled up at him. She hopped up onto his arm and then dived back down on the floor of the hall just as he took a swing at her. She kicked up into his stomach- sending him staggering- and stepped back again.

He went crashing into a wall and skidded across the floor in the wake of the energy blast hitting him. Genkai glanced down at him and lowered her palm. "Some power… You're nothing more than a paper tiger." She commented as she rested her hands at her side and frowned.

He got back to his feet and spat blood on the floor. After wiping off his lip, he ran towards Genkai and kicked at her- she dodged and stepped to the side. He tried to punch her, but she simply dodged this as well. He continued to try and hit her as she outmaneuvered him at every step.

She landed behind him and turned around- exhaling sharply and wiping the sweat from her forehead. "I'm getting way too old this crap!" She thought as she focused her spirit energy again and fired at him.

This time, Makimbi crashed through a door, landing in an empty room. He looked up weakly as Genkai appeared at the empty doorframe. "How can you do this? You're just an old woman!" He exclaimed.

**...o.o.o...**

Kurama looked onward as his foe in silence. "You, you're a woman...?" He asked quietly.

She smiled at him as her long spiky reddish-brown hair fluttered in the breeze, along with the ends of the long blue headband she had on. Her reddish eyes brightened at his words and he noted the wide purple stripe down the left side of her face and the thorny vine markings that stared from her waste and ran up her right side, over her chest- covered only in a simple blue wrap- and up the right side of her face.

Her right arm was covered in a spiky metallic armor all the way up to her shoulder while her left arm was covered in green scales and adorned with a serpent coiled up around it- from below her wrist up to the base of her shoulder. She had a matching blue wrap tide around her waist- over the bikini style bottoms she had on- and some laced up leather boots. Her left leg was covered in a complex orange and black tiger striped pattern. Her right leg had a large crescent moon on the upper thigh with the points facing down towards the image of a setting sun.

Then there was the issue of the large bazooka-like cannon she was wielding at her left side. She looked at him as she hoisted it up into both hands. "Are you really that surprised that I'm a woman that you can't speak?" She asked mockingly.

Kurama simply smiled. "Forgive me, it would seem I am remiss- it's only that the assassins sent to kill be before were always males." He replied cordially.

"A sign of the times…" She replied to him before another scorching red blast fired from the barrel of the large cannon.

Kurama jumped out of the way of the searing energy beam and landed nearby. He glanced momentarily at the damage the beam has caused and then back at his attacker.

Kurama got to his feet. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage- you seem to know my name, but I don't know yours." He remarked as she reached into his pocket and threw something at her.

She held up her arm and his rose bounced off of her- only to land nearby and wither from the contact with her spirit energy. "Of course- one should always know the name of the person who will kill them." She replied. "I am Ikari of the Seven Seals." She answered before firing at him again.

That shot blew up an air-cooling block and sent debris flying everywhere. A piece of shrapnel his Kurama and knocked him off the roof. He landed in the fire escape and looked at the wound before falling back. He pulled himself up and jumped off of the metal structure, down into the dark ally, before it was destroyed by another shot.

Ikara was suddenly enveloped in a thick smoke and started coughing. She covered her mother and looked around frantically. "That rose- it was a decoy! He must have left something else… to cause this…" She muttered as she started to feel lightheaded.

**...o.o.o...**

"Face it, you're finished!" Genkai spoke. "Your ego may not be able to accept that, but you can't win." She added as she glared at her assailant.

Makimbi got to his feet and turned around to make for the window in the room, but a sudden noise pierced the night stillness and he fell back onto the floor. Genkai approached him and glanced down at him. "What the hell just happened?" She mused, before looking up at the window and noticing a small hole in the glass.

She reached up and brushed aside the blinds to get a look outside of the room- spotting a tall figure standing on the rooftop of the building across from where she was. She strained to see more, but it was dark and the man turned around and began walking away into the darkness.

"Something bad is afoot here." Genkai mused as she looked on in the darkness. "Now to see to the idiot in the bunk and to Keiko…" She added as she turned around and walked back into the halls of the hospital.

**...o.o.o...**

Shimmer smiled looked over at Badman. "Dalton… our business here is concluded." She remarked. "We got what we came for." She added and gracefully hopped off of the counter onto her feet. "So now playtime is over." She continued as she moved past Kuwabara.

Badman smiled at her words. "Of course my dear." He replied and released Botan- only to push her into Kuwabara, sending both of them stumbling back as he managed to catch her moving form. "I had fun with you two, but we have to get going." He commented as Shimmer joined him at his side.

"Kurama?" Botan exclaimed as everyone turned around in time to see him stagger into the hall. His coat bore a large hole over his shoulder and was heavy stained with blood, turning the material a dark red. Kurama leaned against the wall and gasped heavily.

Shimmer placed her small hand on her cohort and smiled at him attractively before looking back at the human and the ferry girl. "Don't worry about showing us the door… we'll see ourselves out." Shimmer told them. "And we'll all meet again, very soon- I assure you."

Kurama looked at the two of them as they left the front area. After they passed him, he gasped suddenly and collapsed onto the floor. Kuwabara and Botan rushed over to his side- the ferry girl still wiping tears nervously out of her eyes as Kuwabara helped him back into a sitting position. "I don't know what they're playing at… but we may really be out of our league with these people." Kurama conceded, a trail of blood trickling down his mouth as he spoke.

Botan regained her composure and turned to look at Kuwabara silently and then back at the injured Kurama. "What can we possibly do to stop these people?" She asked to no one in particular. She peeled back the sticky fabric of his clothing and looked at the wound. The fox spirit suddenly lurched forward and collapsed. "It looks you're the leader now, Kuwabara." She remarked gravely as she looked over at him.

**(- End of Chapter 4 -)**

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

What makes these chapters so hard to write is that there's a lot of story to tell in each episode. I wanted to have a lot of characters moving around and interacting with each other in each chapter, so the storyline is more complicated than some of my other works...

With so many plot threads, it takes a lot more time to weave them all together into a conforming storyline. I already know that the next chapter is going to be just as long, because I'm having to pack so much into each one to keep the story moving along. Each chapter is over three thousand words long, so they take more time. I'll try and have the next one out soon though.

_-Bojack727_


	5. Chapter 05: The Disciples

Well, I know I've been absent for a long time. This is due to a number of reasons- mainly stress and the loss of my inspiration. Then of course, just as I was about to begin writing again- my computer crashed and I lost all my files and software. So, what you're looking at now was written with OpenOffice (downloaded from this site, no less). I hope there are still people out there who are interested in this story, as it's still very fun to write.

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 05:**

"_**The Disciples"**_

Takaji Harada listened intently to the information on the other end of the cell phone he was holding. He was situated inside a medium sized limousine with the lights turned down.

"Yes of course, I agree. Makimbi had been compromised and could have endangered our plans... your actions on that matter were completely justified." He remarked calmly. "Truthfully, I expected a degree of loss during this operation... while all involved may share our ultimate goals, some are simply not strong enough to keep up." He added thoughtfully.

"In regards to your current orders- I want you to continue observing the Spirit Detective and gathering intel on them." He instructed coolly. "Given Yusuke Urameshi's current condition, he shouldn't pose much of threat... however, I'll leave his ultimate fate in your capable hands." He added smoothly. He paused for a moment, listening to the other end.

"Well, I see no problem in allowing Shrapnel to continue with her assignment. As for Puppet Master, I expect he can take care of that boy Kuwabara with little trouble... yes, he does have a flare for the sadistic." He spoke in a very casual tone. "Now, if you'll excuse me- I have to finalize a few things on my end." He concluded in a friendly tone, then flipped the cell phone shut and tucked it back into his cote.

He glanced to the side as the door opened and another man stepped inside and sat down across from him. The man was Japanese, in his early forties with black hair that was quickly graying- a pair of plain glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. Overall, his appearance was tidy and organized but not flashy.

"Professor Kusano," Harada began broadly in an welcoming tone. "Welcome, and may I add that it is an honor to be in the presence of such a renowned academic as yourself." He added warmly, smiling at the man- dressed in a simply dark gray three piece suit with a red tie. "I hope you were able to review the proposal I sent you." His voice and body language continuing to create a welcoming aura.

"Ah... yes, thank you." He replied, bowing his head down slightly to accent his words.

The other man adjusted his glassed- perhaps a nervous habit- and looked across the enclosed interior at the man across from him. This man, Takaji Harada, looked to be in his mid thirties and had jet black hair that was slicked back neatly, along with with a pair of wire framed rectangular glasses. He was dressed in a smart looking two-piece business suit and a dark blue tie.

Kusano adjusted his glassed again, as if out of habit. "Yes, Mr. Harada, I reviewed the proposal you sent me very thoroughly." He began. "And while I'm flattered that such an important man like yourself would come to my lecture- let alone make me offer... I have to wonder what I why you picked me."

Harada smiled and rested his hands- one on top of the other- on his crossed knees. "A fair question," He began. "I'll be honest with you," He paused, leaning forward a bit and surprising the other man with his candor. "I represent a group of people who are very much interested in your line of study- and I was sent to see if you truly could be be an asset to our program." He explained.

"Professor Kusano, I now believe that you are in fact the person that we need to head our research program." Harada announced. "I'm authorized to offer you a position as head of research and development in one of our regional branches- you'll have full authority, a support staff of your choosing, and the guarantied financial backing of my employers." He finished dramatically. "Just think about it, a chance to take your theories out of the theoretical realm and into the real world... so, do you accept?"

**...o.o.o...**

Gado placed the phone back down the desk and looked out through the office's glass wall- out onto the expanse of the city. "All things considered, I'd say he handled the news pretty well." He began, crossing his arms and grinning toothily as he heard the door open and close behind him.

Badman stepped around the black cat and continued into the room.

Shimmer smiled at his words, licking her lips as she leaned back in the plush office chair, crossing her legs. "How interesting," She began in a silky tone. "Kagamaru was considered a very formidable warrior in his time... still, while his defeat is surprising, it was probably inevitable." She remarked.

Badman walked across the room, stopping and brushing his hand against Shimmer's delicate up-stretched one. He smiled at her before glancing back over at Gado, who was still focused on the cityscape. "Still, while the Kenyan might not have been the most powerful- our scouters went to a lot of trouble to recruit him." He commented. "I mean, we were supposed to be 'The Thirteen Disciples of Darkness'... you know, the 'unholy sacrament'." He offered with a grin, placing hands gently on Shimmer's shoulders.

A black cat hopped up onto the large wooden table and sat itself down, softy purring.

Gado looked over his shoulder at the two of them and gave his usual dangerous smile. "I don't believe in numerology – having thirteen people in the group was just psychological move." He explained. "Despite these unfortunate losses, our goels remain the same... and we remain the Disciples of Darkness."

"A good name," Shimmer chuckled oddly and held up her hand as if to inspect it. "But what is in a name?" She remarked with a smile. The Demoness sighed happily and sunk deeper into the chair as the gunman continued massaging her shoulders. Closing her eyes, she murmured 'Dalton' faintly.

Badman looked at Gado once more, focusing on the back of his brown tasseled jacket. "What about the half-blood? Kagamaru was supposed to take him out, but who's gonna deal with the boy now?" He asked smoothly, stealing a quick glance down at Shimmer- who cooed ever so faintly from the attention.

The cat got back on its feet and hopped off the table, making its way around the other end of the room.

Gado smiled, then turned around and to face the pair of them. "Aw... now that is the question." He replied theatrically, as if to counter Shimmer's earlier quip. "From here on out, I'll be taking over that duty," He paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "And Believe me, 'Dalton'- once I'm through with him, he'll wish that he'd died at the samurai's hands."

"Bravo, bravo." An eerie voice commented.

The three of them turned in time to see a man walk over to the table and lean forward on it. His skin was almost white and his long semi-curly black hair hung down around around the sides of his face and down his back. He had feral markings across his cheeks and red eyes. He wore a black leather jacket studded with metal spikes. He wore black leather pants and steel-tipped boots. A feather was tucked behind his left ear. "Please, don't trouble yourselves on my account- stay seated it." He said, stepping back and taking a bow.

'Dalton' smiled, looking at the newcomer while Shimmer just swiveled around in the chair to getter a better look at him. "I thought I sensed a shape-shifter." The gunman remarked while the black-haired man simply smiled at him. Several silver chains hung around his neck- adorned with a number of charms and emblems (including a cross and an anarchy symbol).

Gado spoke up. "My friends, this Nawari- aka 'The Stray Cat'." He explained, gesturing towards the shapeshifter, who bowed again. As he stood back up, his overall posture- along with his appearance- gave him the air of a classic metal punk from the 80s. The only exception being the lack of a shirt- which was more Morrison then anything.

**...o.o.o...**

Kurama reached up for a file on a high shelf, wincing at the sudden jolt of pain in his shoulder- a stark reminder that he wasn't fully healed yet. He pulled it back down and leafed through it, only stopping when he sensed someone approach.

Sure enough, the blue-haired grim reaper appeared- now back in her formal pink kimono. "Really Kurama, you shouldn't push yourself so much so soon after your encounter with that... assassin." She said in a concerned voice. "I understand that you're worried about what this group is up to, but at this rate, you'll run yourself ragged." She offered in a sagely tone.

Kurama simply smiled in his usual disarming manner. "Not that I don't find your concern for my well-being touching, but I'm afraid that remaining idle is just not a luxury we can afford at the moment." He replied and placed the file back in its place. He moved further own the isle with Botan now in tow. "From the way things are developing- combined with the nature of our attackers... I've formulated a few theories." Kurama continued in a cryptic tone.

"And I'm sorry to say that so far, none of the possibilities are looking very promising." He added darkly. "Still, for the moment- I'm more concerned with that head hunter I told you about... she's the immediate problem." He explained, picking up a thick folder and looking through it.

Botan paused, recalling an earlier exchange. "Yes, based on your description of her appearance and abilities- she would seem to be a dangerous enemy." She reasoned.

The redhead nodded in agreement. "Indeed, those 'markings' she had all over herself made her skin as hard as reinforced steel plate. That, coupled with that high-powered gun she was using would seemingly make her virtually invincible to any sort of conventional attack." Kurama spoke. "No, I doubt even a blast from Yusuke's spirit gun at point black range would do any damage to her, so my plant-based attacks would be even less effective."

While Botan had expected a dire analysis- still, it was deeply upsetting to hear him speak so bluntly. "So then, she really is invincible...?" She replied somberly, before looking away from him.

The crimson-haired youth shook his head. "There is no such thing as an absolute defense- even the strongest rock can crumble to dust." Kurama replied. "So if we cannot defeat her with brute strength, then we must find another way..." He reasoned, closing the file in his hand as he looked over at her. "By using our intelligence, we may yet find a way."

Botan watched as he continued looking through the archived and scanning through documents and files relentlessly. It wouldn't be until much later on that it would occur to her that there was something different about Kurama's behavior...

**...o.o.o...**

Yukina looked up from the flowers she was tending to as a familiar orange-haired young man approached her. She rose to her feet and smiled sweetly at him. "Hello Kazuma." She spoke in her usual gentle voice. "What brings you here?"

He had to pause when he noticed that she was wearing a white and blue floral pattern yukata this time and blushed slightly, awed at just how pretty she always seemed to him and how the small little things about her- like her held her hands or the way she would tilt her head slightly only caused him to love her even more.

Kuwabara was pulled back to reality when she asked him again, a measure of concern on her perfect features. He blushed slightly. "Oh nothing, I just wanted to check up on you and see how you were doing." He replied with a smile.

A devious idea graced the mind of the small Ice Maiden. She pretended to pout and turned away, crossing her arms in mock indignation. "Oh, so this is just a professional visit then?" She asked, not looking directly at him so that he couldn't see her smirk.

Kuwabara balked at this. "No way Yukina, you know I love just being around you." He replied with a blush. He leaned down and placed his hands on her shoulders, feeling her slender form through the thin fabric of the garment. "I love you, Yukina..." He said in a soft tone.

It was the Ice Maiden's turn to blush furiously. His words were soft and honey-sweet... but also, she knew that it was 'her' Kazuma that made the words special. She turned around slowly and looked up at him. She marvled at how strong and powerful he looked to her- if she stood on the tips of her toes, the top of her head was almost level with his shoulders.

"Oh Kazuma... I was only teasing." She replied in a voice just above a whisper. He squatted down further and helped steady her as she balanced on the tips of her feet. Their lips brushed lightly at first, but the little ice spirit urged him on and he leaned deeper into the kiss.

**...o.o.o...**

Shrapnel punched the nearby wall, leaving a massive dent in it. "Damn him, damn you Youko Kuruma!" She exclaimed. Stepping back to assess the damage she had caused, she frowned again and growled in frustration. "I will kill you- mark my word!" She called out.

"Temper, temper, my dear."

The female hunter whirled around to see Puppet Master walk into the abandoned warehouse. He paused and seemed to regard her silently for a moment. "I take it from your little outburst that your encounter with the fox spirit did not fair well?" He asked coolly, tucking his hands into his pockets.

She glared at him. Now was not the time to be dicking with her... and Shrapnel was in bad mood already... So it was no surprise when she reached over for her cannon and lifted it up into her arms. "Go on, see how far you can push me before I fucking blow you away!" She exclaimed threateningly. "I know all about you powers and frankly- you're not all that great..." She continued, this time in a mocking tone.

He brushed off her remark with a dismissive wave. "Big talk coming from someone who failed their mission." He replied. "Unlike you, I'm capable of formulating complex strategies beyond just shooting things ups. My target will not survive our encounter- I've taken measures to insure that. Of course, if you still haven't dealt with your little problem then I'd be more than willing to finish for you." He offered, narrowing his eyes and smiling at her.

For a moment, Shrapnel seriously considered pulling the trigger right then and there- it would be so easy to blow him away... But she lowered the weapon and gave him a hard look. "You know what- you sure seem to like the sound of your own voice, don't you?" She began in an icey tone. "I'm going to give you some advice- if you keep running that mouth of yours, one day- and sooner then you think- it'll get you killed." The then turned away from him.

She hoisted the cannon over her shoulder and continued walking, not even bothering to look at him a she spoke. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I don't have time to stand around talking about what _might_ happen... because I'm a little too busy actually making things happen." She finished, waving at him as she walked off into the darkness.

Puppet Master smiled and looked up at a walkway overhead to a figure in a long dark coat hiding in the shadows. "Now, now, you must be patient." He remarked. "You'll get your moment in the spotlight soon enough my dear Kugutsuko." He finished with a smile as a pair of red eyes glowed from within the darkness.

**...o.o.o...**

"I'm beginning to have my doubts about those two." Blade remarked as he walked alongside Gado while Stray Cat flanked his other side- the three stepped out of an elevator and into a large hallway.

Gado nodded. "Yes... It would seem that as long as they're together- they're going be a lot more difficult to deal with." He reasoned. "We have to keep them spread out as much as possible and take advantage of how shorthanded they are." He added.

Stray Cat smiled. "That would definitely be the most logical plan of attack... the more damage we can inflict and the more disorganized we can make them the better." He offered. "However, it would be prudent to take precautions... after all, we wouldn't want the project to be put in danger, now would we?"

"Agreed," Gado replied. "While toying with the three of them has certainly been entertaining, we can't jeopardize the project... too much time and effort has gone into it." He added.

Blade looked at the two of them, irritated by the conspiratorial nature of their conversation. "When you say precautions, just what do mean?" He asked.

Gado looked at him and smiled in his usual way. "First off, you should know that we gathered together so many of you for more then just a show of numbers." He explained. "There are always other multiple factors involved in such high-stakes ventures like we're undertaking. For example: while it would have been convenient if Kagamaru had killed Urimeshi, I did have my doubts."

"So, you're saying that he was expendable?" Blade asked, somewhat surprised. "Don't tell me you brought us in expecting some us to fail?" He continued.

"Certainly not." Gado countered and paused in the hallway. The other two demons stopped alongside him as well. "I fully intend to see this operation through to its conclusion... still, I'm smart enough to prepared for a certain degree of difficulty." He explained. "No one under my command is considered expendable... however, the reality of conflict dictates that some degree of loss is inevitable, and in some case- like this, they are necessary."

Gado continued. "The tactical information gathered from Kagamaru's battle with Yusuke Urimeshi had proven invaluable. As has the information regarding his special link with the human Kuwabara." He remarked. "As for Makimbi- he was sent in with instructions to kill the boy. And while he failed, his battle yielded crucial combat information on the Psychic Master Genkai."

"Knowing that, our future plans will factor in her powers as well." He reasoned with a friendly smile. "Nothing we have done has been pointless. Still, I expect you may be wondering what your part in all this is supposed be?" He asked in a genial tone.

Blade nodded. "Yes... sir, the notion had occurred to me." He admitted, a sense of humility now resided in him.

**...o.o.o...**

Keiko exited the hospital, after her latest visit to Yusuke. She was dismayed to discover that his sight had still not returned. Genkai reasoned that it was a side effect of the technique used on him- how long the effect would last was unknown. She past through the front gate of the hospital paused and paused to look at the surrounding area.

"Sure are a lot of crows around." Said a familiar voice. Keiko jumped slightly at the sudden words and looked to her right to see Shizuru standing there with a lit cigarette in her mouth. She continued talking while holding it between her lips. "Personally, I think they one to something... they can sense it somehow." She added cryptically in usual dower tone.

Keiko had mean to ask her what she was doing there, but found the older girl's strange words too districting to ignore. "What do you mean Shizuru, I'm afraid I don't understand what you're getting at." She confessed- her lack of insight seemed to be a common theme whenever something serious was happening.

Without making eye-contact, Shizuru continued speaking. "The crows, they're one of the types of animals that seem to be able to sense when something odd is going on." She continued. "Right now, I figure that they must have picked up on the weird vibes around the city... plus, crows always fallow and trouble always seems to follow the guys."

"What sort of trouble are you talking about?" Keiko asked nervously.

Shizuru took the cigarette out of her mouth and looked at the small chocolate-haired girl. "Oh, the usual- death and destruction."

**...o.o.o...**

Dalton and Shimmer entered the hall from the other end and came upon Gado and the others. The demoness was wearing his hat (tipped back at a cute angle) while the gunman appeared to have shaved (or perhaps been given one) recently.

"Thirteen. That was the total number of us when we started." Gado began, addressing the armor-clad demon. "I shall assume you realize that Mr. Harada is- as the mastermind of all this- 'Number 1'." He continued. "I, myself, am 'Second' and the Stray Cat is the 'Third'... for reasons that you will soon understand." He explained.

Gado motioned to Dalton and Shimmer, the two demons in question smiled. "The esteemed Mr. West, aka Badman, is Fourth; while the divine Miss Shimmer is Fifth." He explained- the female in question rolled her eyes at the reference.

The Stray Cat took a step forward and leaned his head slightly to the side while making eye-contact with Blade. "You, Blade, are Sixth while the late Makimbi and Kagamaru were Seventh and Tenth, respectively." He explained in a slinking tone.

"Correct!" Gado replied, holding his hand up with the point finger extended. "Shrapnel is the Eleventh and the Puppet Master is the Twelfth." He continued. "The Eighth and Ninth members aren't here yet- though some of you might have some idea as to who they are..." He said with with grin, looking between the group.

Blade crossed his arms and arched brow while the light reflected off his visor. "So then, who's 'lucky' number thirteen?"

Gado made a toothy grin at the question. "Funny that you should ask... the Thirteenth member is being supplied by the Puppet Master... and as such, I don't know very much at all about 'it'." He revealed. "So now I'll tell you what you'll be doing for now- if Shrapnel fails to kill Youko Kurama, it will then fall to you to kill him."

**...o.o.o...**

Kuwabara looked up at the sky from the top of the hill where he was lying down with his arms cross under his head. Yukina was sitting next to him, leaning back on her arms and looking up at the seemingly endless blue sky with him.

"Kazuma..." She began in a soft tone, the boy in question glanced over at her. "When I lived on the floating island, I always felt like some part of me was missing." She explained. "I couldn't really describe it, but I knew that I was missing something very important that I could never know while still on the frozen land."

"Have you found it yet?" Kuwabara asked gently.

"That's just it," She replied. "I always knew I was different... my mother had loved a male – a fire demon no less. The other Ice Spirits separated them, but the 'damage' was already done- I'm proof of that." She said, glancing down as she crossed her small hands over her lap. "Ice Maidens are taught to loath men... we evolved to reproduce without them... but there's no room for love in that sort of philosophy."

"And you think that's what drove her into the arms of your father?" Kuwabara asked, rising back up into a sitting position.

She nodded slightly. "Yes, I think so... but I'd also like to think that she was also 'in love' with him too- I think this because she just withered away without him." Yukina spoke in a sad tone. "I was 'impure', there were no others like me on the island... They couldn't understand me, and I could never accept their ways." Yukina continued. "So I left. Both of my parents were gone, but my brother was out in the Makai somewhere."

He smiled inwardly at the mention of her brother. At some point, he'd worked out that the long-lost sibling was non other then Hiei. He must have realized that he'd been found out, because the fire demon approached him and insisted that he not tell Yukina... shortly after this, he left for the Makai and had not been seen since. "And you believed that your brother might be able to help you understand who are?" He reasoned, placing a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"Yes... but it wasn't just something familial that I was missing." She paused and scooted closed toward him so she could lean into him. "Like my mother, I couldn't go through life never knowing what it was like to feel love or be loved." She revealed.

"Kazuma..." She began, her voice barely more than a whisper. "It's because of you that I finally understood what it truly means to love someone." She began with a blush. "When I think back, I can remember how you always talked about love and how you loved me and how we were meant to be together." She paused, casting her gaze down momentarily, but still smiling. "So, I wanted to tell you something..."

She took a deep breath, her cheeks turning a shade of red similar to her eyes. "I realize now that if I'm your strength, then it's your love that makes me stronger... I love you Kazuma- from the bottom of my heart." She told him softly. "Even though I sometimes feel like I don't deserve someone like you... it makes me so happy to know you love me... and that I can count on you to be the storybook hero in my life."

The two of them sat there, quietly for a while and enjoying each others company. Eventually, the sound of footsteps got their attention and the two of them saw Kurama (now wearing his glasses) and Botan (dressed in her civilian clothes) standing before them.

Botan was blushing sympathetically and held up her hands apologetically. "Please, forgive us for disturbing the two of you. But we have urgent information that cannot wait." She said in a formal tone.

Kurama stepped forward and nodded courteously to Yukina and then looked at Kuwabara. "My apologies as well, but I think you should know that I've formulated plan for when that assassin comes after me- and I'm going to need your help, Kuwabara."

**(- End of Chapter 05 -)**

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

This chapter comes in at just over 4700 words and over eight pages. I had a lot of catching up to do and a lot of info to cover. While I've been plotting out more of the overall story to improve the flow, I wasn't able to force a cliff-hanger... so the chapter ended up much longer to reach a suitable conclusion.

I've really started to like the bad guys a lot, so writing scenes for them is a lot of fun. Also, being able to use the whole cast is good as well- as it give me a reason to include everyone and keep the story fresh. The plot has become a lot more complex over time, as well as being more character driven. Still, things will get moving soon and the action will pick up well.

I hope that there are still people who will enjoy this story. I really enjoyed writing this latest chapter am planning the next one right now. So, any reviews or feedback would be very much appreciated.

_-Bojack727_

**UPDATE (6/10/09):** I went back and did some work on this chapter. I fixed a few mistakes (one obvious one in particular) that I didn't notice the first time around, as well as some grammatical issues that were annoying me. I also expanded the narrative in a few key places. I find this chapter much more satisfying now.


	6. Chapter 06: Schemes and Dreams of Power

There are so many characters I enjoy writing for- both from the series and my own. The only one that I regularly have trouble with is Keiko. I honestly don't dislike her, it's just that she never really grew beyond the role of 'Yusuke's Girlfriend'. I always felt that the show never really did anything with her character after the first handfull of episodes, so there's not a whole lot to work with...

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**EPISODE 06: "Schemes and Dreams of Power"**

**.o.o.o.**

"So, you're sure that she'll specifically come after you again?" Kuwabara asked Kurama intently from across the table. The two of them were seated, along with Botan, at a large formal table in Genkai's compound.

Kurama nodded. "Yes, I believe so." He replied. "You recall that the first attacker seemed to only target Yusuke- he even allowed Keiko to leave with Genkai." He reasoned. "As for the second attack, the one calling herself Shrapnel is logically after me." He added.

The Grim Reaper Girl regarded the former spirit thief for a moment. "But if that's the case, then why did she fire on all three of us when the attack started?" she asked, looking at the red-haired boy. "And there's the two that we encountered, not to mention the one who attacked Genkai and so on..." She pointed out, waving her hand.

Kurama nodded. "Well, to answer your first question- I think she must have been aware of Kuwabara's spirit sense... so the first shot was merely to draw me out- to fire a warning shot 'over the stern' so to speak." He reasoned thoughtfully. "Somehow, she must have worked out that I would come after her while the two of you went to go check up on Yusuke." He added. "It would seem that our enemies have a fairly adept understanding of our tactics and methods... as well a keen insight into human nature." He added.

The last remark piqued his interest, as well as the odd way Kurama had glanced off to the side when he said it. "What do you mean by 'human nature'?" Kuwabara asked the redhead.

Kurama considered the question for a moment. "Well, basic demon nature more often tends to lend itself to a 'survival of the fittest' mentality... while human nature is usually inclined to a more compassionate approach." He explained. "Our attackers understood that we would not leave an injured teammate defenseless- so they responded by acting to stop the two of you." He added.

"Which brings me to my next point... as well as to the answer of your other question." Kurama continued, clearing his throat. "You both reported that the two you encountered only seemed interested in detaining you, correct?" He asked- to which they both nodded. "Now, consider that Genkai encountered only one attacker- who was going after Yusuke." He pointed out. "As for whoever killed him off- I expect that their intention was to silence him." Kurama reasoned.

Botan nodded in understanding, beginning to grasp what he was implying. "You mean that within this group, specific ones are targeting the three of you?" She asked.

The fox spirit nodded. "The first was after Yusuke... while that other one was most likely intended on finishing up what he started." Kurama reasoned. "The one with the cannon seems to have been charged with killing me off." He added.

Kuwabara went cold and looked down for a moment as he considered Kurama's words. "Then I guess, following that logic- there's someone out there right now who's got my number, right?" He asked the other spirit detective gravely.

Kurama interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on them. "I'm afraid so." He answered. "Which makes what I'm about to ask of you very selfish." Kurama countered. Both Botan and Kuwabara looked at him intently, waiting for him to continue. "You see Kuwabara, for my plan to work- I'm going to need your help in stopping my killer." He explained.

**.o.o.o.**

Harada and Kusano walked out along the large walkway and stopped midway- above one of the massive turbines spinning below. Harada leaned against the railing and motioned towards the vast expanse of turbines that filled the huge facility. "As you can see Professor, this facility can generate massive amounts of power- enough to fuel even the most complex and taxing experiments!" He called out over the roar of the machinery below.

"By our estimates, this power plant alone could run the entire city. Then there's also the numerous ancillary sites as well, so as you can see- the potential yield is truly mind-blowing." He added. "Of course, if necessary, we can tap into the city's power supply as well."

Kusano looked around a bit more as the entire area seemed to rumble like a giant monster. "Such power- but do you really think this is necessary?"

Harada smiled and walked over to the Professor. "My dear Kusano, the kind of work we'll be doing is going to change the world... perhaps even the human race itself." He offered. "So, you can image the enormity of the scale and the appreciate the need for such a degree of safeguards." He finished, looking intently at the other man.

"Soon, we'll head out for the main testing center- where you can familiarize yourself with the layout and infrastructure." Harada informed him, moving in closer and leaning in towards the man. "I know that you've struggled with your work... your theories were largely dismissed in by your colleagues in the world of academia, right?"

Kusano sighed and nodded his head. "You really have done your homework." He remarked. "Yes, so many people have simply written off my work as little more than fantasy... but somehow I know I'm right... th-that my theories are correct." He reasoned, clenching his fists. "I'm tired of being passed over for younger and trendier scientist... or being dismissed as a crackpot with a mad dream."

Harada nodded sympathetically, placing an arm around the other man and looking upwards. "They dismissed you because they lacked the intelligence and vision to truly understand the greatness of your work, Professor Kusano," He paused. "People who cower behind the establishment and sit behind desks... old fools and impertinent children... Such people as that are unworthy." He added.

He looked at Kusano with an odd expression on his face- the light glinting off his glassed as he licked his lips. "Conservative minds such as theirs could NEVER hope to chart a new path for the future." He added in a serious tone.

He moved in closer- his mouth inches from the other man's ear. "Professor Kusano, my friend... destiny awaits!" Harada exclaimed, extending his arm in a large sweeping motion.

**.o.o.o. **

There was silence among the three of them for a brief moment- but then the door suddenly slid open. The trio turned in time to see Yukina appear, holding a tray with cups on it. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I thought that you could use something to drink- so I made some tea." She announced, entering the room with a smile.

Botan gushed at the announcement, clapping her hands together- in truth the arrival of the small woman was a welcome distraction. "Oh my, you're so thoughtful Yukina dear." She remarked in a friendly tone as the Ice Maiden began setting the cups down around them. "Kuwabara is so lucky to have such a nice woman like you as his girlfriend." She added happily.

Both Yukina and Kuwabara blushed at the statement and the young man laughed awkwardly. The small Ice Maiden glanced briefly at Kuwabara, her large crimson eyes briefly meeting his dark ones- causing her to blush even more. "Oh my, Botan... you're making me blush!" She remarked as the two of them looked away from each other suddenly.

Yukina nodded thoughtfully. "Still, I wish I could be more help to you all- I feel bad knowing everyone is working so hard and risking their lives while I'm here safely away from the danger." She admitted.

Kurama shook his head as the cup of tea was set before him. "Don't be so hard on yourself Yukina..." He spoke in warm tone. "In times of conflict- small, heartfelt things are often the most important." He reasoned. "For example, it's your faith in him- along with the knowledge that you are well and happy- that allows Kuwbara to strive for a better tomorrow."

Botan was taken back the Spirit Detective's words- placing her hand on her chest, while Kuwabara merely blushed and nodded in agreement with his assessment. "For me, it is the love of my mother and my younger brother and my desire to make the world a place where they can be happy and safe that in turns gives me strength." He said, looking upwards with a strange smile.

Botan leaned in and smiled gently at the pretty little Ice Spirit. "As long as you have faith in Kuwabara and love him- then you are helping." She offered, a noticeable twinkle in her pink eyes.

Yukina cupped her mouth and blushed darkly. The deep red tone contrasting sharply with her almost porcelain-white flesh. "Though I'm not really sure if I'm worthy of such praise- thank you all so much, I promise to to do my best to make these grounds a place of warmth and happiness." She said with a bow and departed.

Outside the room, Yukina passed a smiling Genkai. The old Psychic Master had heard the conversation and felt oddly reassured about the future. "Perhaps this world is in good hands after all..." She though silently to herself.

Kuwabara looked at the cup in his hand for a moment and gave a forlorn smile. The people they were dealing with seemed pretty ruthless, so he had to make sure that whenever his attacker came after him that Yukina didn't get caught up in the mess...

The last thing he wanted was for her to be used as a hostage against him. He had sworn to himself that she would never again be victimized by either humans or demons... it was a vow that he would enforce with his blood and tears. Somehow, he needed an edge- something to tip the balance in his favor... but his recent efforts to alter the nature of his spirit sword were far from complete...

Kurama took a sip from the cup and set it down, making a faint clattering sound against the hard wood surface. He then proceeded to produce a large rolled-up document, which he then spread out across the table. "I acquired this layout of the city while doing some research." He began. "While it's still too earlier to guess as to where the group is working out of... I was able to formulate the most likely place for my next confrontation with my attacker." He continued.

The large plan of the city was a complex network of black lines on an off-white background. The hospital was circled in pencil. "The group that attacked utilized speed against us- organizing a large attack force." He spoke as the two of them listened eagerly. "When it was over, they all dispersed quickly enough to negate any chance of following them." He added.

"Still, I doubt that their main base is anywhere near the hospital... so we should assume that they are using a number of locations throughout the city as jump-off points." He added. "Probably either highly industrialized or derelict zones." He offered. "Logically, my assailant has most likely chosen a location around the hospital... so if we take what I said earlier into consideration..." He said, moving his hand across the map. "...she is likely situated somewhere here, in this cluster of warehouses near the harbor." He reasoned calmly.

"With this in mind, my intention is take the battle to her." Kurama revealed. "It's the last thing she would expect... so her ability to respond will be weakened." He then looked at the other two. "Now, given that you know me- you may be wondering why I would choose such a direct method?" He began. "This enemy is a hunter, and to her- we are the prey- but I intend to make her my prey by forcing her into a trap!"

Kurama looked first at Botan. "As we discussed, you will lay the trap in the spot we discussed." He instructed the blue haired girl- who nodded. He then looked at Kuwabara. "I will be counting on you to act as support and make sure that nothing unexpected happens... including interference from one of her allies." The orange-haired young man nodded in agreement as well. Kurama leaned back slightly and exhaled.

"What about you?" Kuwabara asked tentatively.

Kurama nodded and smiled oddly. "Well, I intend to be the bait." He admitted to the other two. "After all, what sort of strategist would I be if I wasn't willing to place myself in the same amount of danger as my friends." He added. "Still, as the acting leader- the final choice rests with Kuwabara."

Botan and Kurama turned to look at the orange-haired young man. "Are you confident about this plan?" He asked- to which Kurama nodded. He then glanced over at Botan, who smiled in response. "Alright then- under the circumstances, I don't see much choice except to put our faith in Kurama's plan."

Kurama took in the words of his teammate and friend. "You honor me with your confidence." Kurama replied in a sincere tone.

**.o.o.o.**

Shrapnel stood on the roof of the building, looking out onto the harbor at night. Her metal-clad arm rested on her hip while the serpent and scale clad arm held onto her cannon. She suddenly felt a chill and turned around to see Gado appear.

The tall man walked over to her side and looked at the view- noting a cargo freighter in the distance. "I hope you're not having second thoughts." He remarked. He had on his usual brown tasseled jacket and jeans tucked into cowboy boots.

She looked at him, the tails of her headband fluttering behind her in the breeze- yet the chill in the air had no effect on her mostly exposed form. "About what?" She asked coolly, noting how he hardly ever made eye-contact when he spoke.

"About killing Youko Kurama." He revealed with a shrug and continued. "Despite our nature- it's sometime hard for us to turn on our own kind... especially when the hunter and their prey have a common bond, like you and Kurama." He added with a faint smile.

She bristled at the insinuation. "I have nothing in common with that demon traitor!" She snapped back, her eyes narrowing in anger.

He started to speak again, this time- while turning to face her. "You say that, but I wonder... It's hard to shake off ones past so easily." He continued. "Still, I'm willing to take you at your word... provided you fulfill your contract." He added.

She looked back out to the see again. "Don't worry... I will."

He smiled at her. "Of course," He began. "And when you're finished with the unpleasant business of removing Kurama..." He paused with a smile. "I'll even be willing to assassinate Blackheart for you- free of charge no less."

She turned around suddenly, faltering at the mention of the name. He noted the confusion and anger in her eyes and smiled. "My dear Shrapnel, did you think that we wouldn't have known about that bit of your past?" He asked in a serious tone. "All you need concern yourself with is killing off Kurama. We'll handle the rest." He added simply and began walking away.

Gado paused, aware that her gaze was still on him. "Like I said, don't worry... I'm happy to get rid of Blackheart." He explained. "...Considering what he did you alone, I doubt anyone will shed tears over his demise." He finished and disappeared into the darkness. "I certainly won't."

**.o.o.o.**

Keiko stepped into Yusuke's room, only to stop abruptly at the site of a man sitting in the chair next to his bead. "Who are you?" She asked in a shaky voice.

He looked over at her. He looked to be in his late twenties or so with short black hair that was parted neatly and dark brown eyes and a clean-shaven face. He was dressed in a simple yet stylish two piece dark blue suit with a red and black striped tie. He stood up and walked silently over to her.

She backed up nervously and brushed up against a heavy trench coat hanging conveniently on a hook- she guessed it was his as well. He then stopped and smiled down at her- he must have been about six feet tall. "Hello, I'm Assistant Chief Inspector Ken Nagashima." He began in a professional tone. "I'm from the Japanese Metropolitan Police... Special Branch." He added.

"Chill out Keiko." Said a familiar voice. The girl looked around the tall man at Yusuke, who was smiling (his eyes still closed). "He's cool." He added calmly with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Nagashima continued. "My department investigates unusual or bizarre cases outside the normal scope of things... It helps to think us in terms of something not unlike the 'X-Files'." He offered with a smile to the girl as she began to calm down- her pulse normalizing. "I'm sorry, I guess you must be pretty on edge with the recent events?"

She nodded. "Yes, it's been hard these last few days." She admitted. Though truthfully, most of the last four years had been hard to cope with. "If it's alright, can I ask you what you're doing here?" She spoke, walking past him and pausing beside Yusuke.

He turned back around, keeping an eye on the two of them. "Of course." He began. "Over the last few years, my people have been gathering information on the strange events going on in the city- such as the sudden outbreak of mass hysteria four years ago, and then the seismic activity and spacial distortions two years ago." He explained. "We noted that there was almost always a common thread in each example."

"Yusuke can be linked in some way to virtually every paranormal event." He added. "Additionally, we can also link both him and his cohort Kazuma Kuwabara to the events surrounding the death of the Gangster Torukane." He continued.

Yusuke frowned. "I had nothing to do with that little shit's death, but I sure as hell didn't loose any sleep over it." He quipped. "Still, I guess you're here to take me back with you?" He asked darkly.

"Actually, no I'm not." Nagashima replied- to the surprise of both Keiko and Yusuke. "For now, I'm here merely to observe and gather more information... my people believe something big is going on, so they sent me to assess things." He explained.

**.o.o.o.**

Blade glanced out the window of the office room and sighed in frustration. He resented the idea of having to act as support. "How stupid..." He muttered. "Why am I the one who has to clean up after that bitch." He complained.

"That's assuming she fails," A sultry voice commented. He whirled around and saw Shimmer saunter into the room. He noted how her hips swayed with every step- her long purple hair swaying in sync. He also noticed how her outfit seemed to have been designed solely to show off her flat stomach and the curve of her round breasts. He merely turned away, annoyed at her vanity and huffed in reply.

"What do you want?" He asked, annoyed with her presence. He tensed up, sensing her get even closer to him. "Don't tell me you expect that low-leveled demon to be able to kill Youko?" He asked her angrily as she was now standing beside him. "The very fact that I've been delegated as her replacement shows that she's not expected to succeed!" He declared.

Undaunted, Shimmer only smiled at him and stretched her arms up and crossed them behind her head, the pose only seemed to flaunt her figure even more. "Well, either that or it means that you're not cut out for a front line position." she offered in a saucy tone. "But that's just a theory." She added, tilting her head cutely.

Blade whirled around. "Why you... y-you goddamned whore!" He exclaimed furiously. "How dare you take that tone with me when you spend most your time spreading your legs for every other male demon around!"

She looked at him intently- her posture unchanging. "Big words for such a _little_ man." She replied, making sure to put emphasis on the word 'little'. "But what should I expect... Someone like you wouldn't know how to handle themselves in a real situation- both in battle and in bed." She added casually.

His eye twitched involuntarily as his anger bubbled up. "That's it, you bitch!" Blade exclaimed in outrage. "I don't care if you're fucking Badman or not, I'm going to teach you some manners!" He added, readying his weapons.

Her eyes seemed to glow in response to his last statement...

...Dalton (aka the Badman) stepped into the room, just as Blade was sent crashing into the wall, next to the doorway. He glanced down at the blade-master and noted that his chest plate was broken up and that part of his torso was now exposed amd smoldering. He coughed out blood and tried to get up, only to end up sliding back down the dented surface of the wall.

Shimmer walked over to him and looked down at him, her eyes glowing a dangerous reddish-pink color. "Now it's time for you to listen," She began, bringing her foot down on the injured area. He coughed up even more blood. "There's a reason you're beneath me in the pecking order... because you're the bitch!" She added in an icy tone.

She looked over at Dalton and returned to her usual demeanor. "You must have been looking for me? Sorry to keep you waiting." She said, offering him her hand. The two of them left the room, leaving the other demon alone.

"What was that all about?" Badman asked the demoness as they entered the hallway.

"Oh nothing really," The gray-skinned beauty replied. "Just teaching our comrade about teamwork."

**.o.o.o.**

Again, Blade tried to rise, but could only lift himself up enough to rest his shoulders against the wall. He reached up and wiped the blood off from his mouth- only to cough out more. "It's not possible... she just can't be that strong..." He struggled to say. "They... they all think I'm weak... they're mocking me!" He exclaimed through clenched teach.

The demon's anger increased and he eventually managed to get to his feat. "I'll show her... I'll show them all!" He exclaimed, holding his arm across his injured chest. He walked towards the sliding glass door and pushed it aside. "Damn her, she'll regret that..." He muttered to himself.

Now outside on the balcony, he could see the sun was rapidly descending into the horizon and the city was starting to get dark. He walked to the edge of the gripped the top of the guard wall- unaware of the trail of little drops of dark purplish blood he was moving. "I am strong- and I will be the one to kill Kurama... not Shrapnel or any any of the others..." He said out loud, trying to steady his breathing.

With that, he hopped up onto the top of the railing and leaped out into the darkening cityscape. After he had left, a figure stepped out onto the balcony. Stray Cat smiled as his long dark hair fluttered in the wind and his heavy leather jacket rustled. "This should certainly make things interesting," He mused inwardly. "Nothing like a little chaos to stir things up." He added with a low laugh.

**(- End of Chapter 6 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

This is another chapter that ended up over long, but again it was necessary to keep the story moving along. The chapter is going to lead into the next one, which will have some serious revelations in it- so I'm actually going to finish the next chapter before putting this one out. Just in case.

Also, as I mentioned at the beginning. I find it hard to write for Keiko. Strangely enough, Botan, Yukina, and especially Mukuro are very easy to write for. Like I said, it's more of a lack of development of the character on the part of the creator. Originally, there wasn't as much for the women to do in the story, but as things have progressed, I've ended up bringing them into the main story more as well as creating more female characters in general.

I'd like to thank Cosmosphere for the review. I understood your issues with the previous chapters and I agree with many of them. Hopefully, you'll enjoy the next chapter more- as it's very important to me.

So Anyway, Thanks Again

-Bojack727


	7. Chapter 07: Ballad of the Fallen

Well, this chapter picks up directly where the previous one left off. I've opted to write a number of these in advance to help the story flow more smoothly and allow them to link together more naturally. Also, on a practical level, it's good to get as much done as possible while I'm on a role... I can't risk loosing my momentum.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**EPISODE 07: "The Ballad of the Fallen"**

**.o.o.o.**

"_The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. The trite subjects of human efforts, possessions, outward success, and luxury have always seemed to me contemptible."_

-Albert Einstein

**.o.o.o.**

Youko Kurama, Kazuma Kuwabara, and Botan made their way through the dark and ill-lit expanse of old warehouse district. Night had fallen across the city, so the only light came from the occasional lamps fixed high up on the buildings- shining down randomly in splashes of light. Cargo ships chugged along in the distance and massive tower-like cranes stood high above, motionless and ghostly.

Kurama turned to Botan and nodded. The blue haired girl, now dressed in her street clothes, nodded back at him and took off into the darkness. The two young men continued on for a while. Then, the red-haired youth turned to Kuwabara and gave him a silent nod as well- his cue to move out. The young man nodded in understanding and set into the shadows on his own. Now, Kurama was walking alone...

The others had just assumed that his recent strange behavior had something to do with the mission. They didn't realize that it was much more complicated than that. During his research, he had turned up a few things- some of which had proved troubling to the former spirit. What he felt now wasn't fear... no, he'd faced death and danger many times. No, it was different this time. He felt, somehow, that the battle would be the easy part. What was to come next... that would be the hard part.

_Loss... Sadness... Regret... _

It all seemed to go hand in hand with conflict. Her understood, perhaps better than anyone, how it felt to look back on ones own past and to wonder if something could have been done differently... Kurama continued on through the area, ducking and weaving in between and around the old building.

_So much conflict..._ He mused inwardly. In his long life, he'd known a great deal of conflicts. However, it wasn't until recently in the last 18 years that he had actually bothered to stop and reflect on things... to consider the choices he had made and wonder what might have been. Of course, he was smart enough to know that nothing productive came from dwelling in the past... only sorrow. He had come to understand just how different his current life was to the one he knew before.

"_Mother..." _The word came to him. Such a concept wouldn't have meant much in the Makai, but in his new life, living among the humans... that word meant a great deal to him. His past deeds... everything he had once though grand... now seemed shallow and pointless when compared to what he'd experienced in this new life of his... _Maternal Love_. Once he shed his selfish ways and came to understand this idea, he realized that he was no longer Youko Kurama... now he was Suichi, and he had a mother who loved him. Somehow, power and brute force seemed insignificant by comparison...

He stepped out of the veil of darkness and into the loading bay at the other end of the harbor. It was dark, but no so much so that he couldn't navigate. He heard a faint clicking sound and turned in time to see a shadowy figure open fire on him.

**.o.o.o. **

Gado opened the door and stepped out onto the roof of the building. He paused for a moment, sensing a presence, and turned around slowly and looked up intently. He smiled at the sight of the figure standing on top of the exit enclosure.

The familiar black leather jacket and tight black pants and boots, combined with the long dark hair and pale skin was a dead giveaway. The Stray Cat had his hands tucked into his pants pockets and the chains around his neck swayed in the breeze, along with his raven hair. He smiled down at the larger demon, his red eyes gazing intently down at him. He tensed up suddenly before jumping nimbly onto the ground beside Gado.

The Shapeshifter smiled. "Sir... The Huntress, Shrapnel, has engaged Youko Kurama." He began. "Though I expect you'll want me to observe the matter first hand?" He asked calmly, looking into the profound darkness of the night sky while walking up to edge of building, seemingly unconcerned with the sheer drop right in front of him.

Gado nodded an affirmative, totally unconcerned by his friend's _devil-may-care_ attitude. "Yes, I have a feeling... something tells me that this fight will prove most interesting." He stated calmly in an even tone. He tucked his hands into his jacket pocket and walked over to the other demon's side. "On another note, it seems that Blade has disappeared... I don't suppose you would happen to know anything about it... would you, Nawari?"

"How fascinating." Nawari replied with a smile, tilting his head at a slight angle. "No, I'm afraid not... But you might want to ask Shimmer about it, I just happened to stumble across the two of them having a 'difference of opinion'." He continued, casually shrugging his shoulders. Nawari turned back around to look at the night sky. "Now my friend, if you'll excuse me- I'd like to personally oversee the data collecting."

Gado nodded in agreement and watched as Nawari nimbly leapt into the air- his black clad form blending seamlessly into the darkness...

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama leapt out of the way in time to avoid the giant blast from the cannon. He landed on the roof of the building about twenty meters from where Shrapnel was standing. He began running towards her at a breakneck pace.

She steadied the gun against and let off multiple shots at him, devastating the surroundings, yet always just missing him as he moved out of the line of fire at the last secant. She growled in frustration and prepared to take another shot at him. Suddenly, Kurama jumped into the air and landed right in front of her. He had to jump back several feet to avoid being hit when she swung the cannon at him like it was a giant club.

She shifted her hold on it and flipped it back onto her shoulder and prepared to fire. This time, Kurama charged head on, straight at her. She got a shot off at him just as he tried to throw something at her. The explosion sent him flying onto his back. The redhead coughed noisily and slowly got back to his feet- Shrapnel noted that his clothes were singed and frayed and some minor scrapes and cuts were visible.

She laughed. "I was told you were a genius," She began. "Yet you charged straight into my line of fire!" She scoffed and prepared to fire again. "What?!" She exclaimed when the cannon suddenly jammed- making only a clicking sound. "How did you--?!" She started to say, but then realized that he had thrown something moments before... "So I wasn't your target then? You took the hit so you could disable my cannon?" She exclaimed. "You probably think you've gained some sort of edge over me?" She asked mockingly with a fiery voice.

She smiled and flexed her muscles. "Well, I have bad news for you," She continued, breaking into a sprint towards him. "These markings covering me are like armor- making my body harder and stronger than steel!" She called out, rushing and striking out at him. "As a result, it also allows my body to function like a weapon."

Kurama failed to react in time, and the powerful blow from the Hunter literally launched him off of the roof and sent him plunging down into the darkness below. "As you can see, it not only protects me from any attack, it also allows me to inflict heavy levels of damage as well." She jumped down from the roof and into the alleyway between the two buildings. She looked around and spotted Kurama rushing away and disappearing around a corner. "You disappoint me, running away like a coward!" She powered up and set out after him.

...

Kurama staggered along as fast as he could, moving between sections of light and dark. "She's right..." He thought silently. "Those seals... _metal hide_ for the right arm... _coiled dragon scale_ for the left... _thorns_ for the torso and right side of the face... _war_ for the left side of the face... _tiger_ for the left leg... and _ascension of darkness_ for the right leg..."

"As long as those are in effect, she's virtually invincible." He thought silently, heading towards a large open door of a nearby warehouse. "I wasn't counting on her being quite so powerful," He thought. "I'm not sure if this going to work..." He continued, closing in on the opening. Then, he sensed her eyes on him- sending a chill down his spine. The sudden sensation caused him to stumbled and fall down on all fours. "...She's at my heals." He murmured.

Kurama jumped to the side just in time to avoid Shrapnel's attack- the woman's fist plunging into the ground and caused a flurry of debris as a result. He stepped backwards, skidding to a halt in time to catch her fist with both hands. He could feel himself faltering as she started to overwhelm him. He jumped back and launched his rose whip at her.

_...Salvation ...Redemption..._

The thorny vine wrapped itself around the Huntress's left arm with a vice-like grip. She looked at her arm and flexed it- the lean muscles shifting against the weapon's hold on her. She looked over at the battered young man, noting the obvious strain in his motions as well as his uneven breath. "Somehow, I have to stop her... I have to s--"

The woman smiled deviously and looked right at him- their gazes meeting at that moment. She pulled back her arm in a quick motion, with the whip still wrapped around it. She gripped the length with her free hand and proceeded to violently pull on the rose whip- taking Kurama with it. The redhead let go of it, but not in time to come crashing down.

He propped himself up and looked at the open door. He stood back up and began running once more towards the warehouse. Shrapnel smirked at the sight of his moving form. "Alright then- I have no problem killing a moving target!" She exclaimed and took off after him.

**.o.o.o.**

Gado turned around in time to see the door to the roof open once again. This time, Dalton stepped out, followed by Shimmer and then a third figure emerged...

He wore a long dark gray cloak- with a red silk inner lining and high Gothic collar. He also wore a white top hat with a red band around it. He sported a matching white formal jacket (that hung open and showed his chest) complete with gray cuffs and trim, and tales He also wore matching white dress pants. He had on fancy Cuban-heeled dress shoes. He wore white gloves and held a strange-looking cane in his left hand.

The top end of the cane was smooth and appeared to be carved from ivory. It stood up about 10 inches long with the end carved in a figurehead- a skull with inset rubies for eyes. The section that that he held onto was bound up in tight red fabric. The remaining length was over five feet long- composed of a shiny black ore (similar to the color of obsidian). The end portion was capped by about an inch of silver- his nose and the areas around his eyes were dark like the sockets of a skull. The stranger quickly tucked the cane into a thick red sash around his waist.

Still, the most distinctive thing about him was that his body was completely covered in black with white markings. (Whether this was his natural appearance or a facade was unclear). White horizontal rib-like lines were visible on his chest and stomach while a segmented line ran up the back of his neck. Still, even more shocking was that his face was made up to resemble a human skull. He reached up and tipped back his hat with a gloved hand- making the decorative gold buttons on his sleeve visible.

"Gado, my old friend, it's so good to see you again after all this time." He declared- his words tinged with a strange accent. His striking blue-gray eyes were now visible in the moonlight.

Gado grinned at the ghoulish figure standing before him. "Glad you could make it, 'Doctor Samedi'." He countered with a friendly wave as if they were just two old college friends meeting again. "It's been far too long since the last time we worked together..." He added, waving his hand around in mock display of nostalgia. "So, when this project came up, I thought you would make an excellent addition to our group... as the Ninth Disciple." He added.

Samedi clapped his hands affectionately onto the sides of Gado's arms and smiled directly at him. "How could I refuse my friend." He began warmly. "Once you told me that the 'Organization' was going ahead with their plan, I knew that it was fate." He declared at the other man smiled back at him. "I know that somehow I was fated to help forge the _True Path_." He dded.

Gado nodded back at him, placing his hand on Samedi's shoulder and smiling at him. "Indeed, it is fate." He began. "A great destiny awaits us all." He replied, taking a step back

He then motioned to the other two demons in attendance. "This man here is Dalton West and is known as 'Badman- the Demonic Gunslinger." He explained, pointing to the male demon, who appeared to be sporting his reclaimed hat once again. "And the lady is known as Shimmer- the Mistress of Radiant Light." He explained, introducing the demoness.

The strange looking man turned to face the two of them. He tipped his hat formally. "Greetings, I am known as Doctor Samedi- Voodoo Master and Lord of Nightmares and Illusions." He announced formally with a sweeping gesture and a bow.

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama rushed inside the warehouse with Shrapnel hot of his trail. "NOW!" He called out.

She screeched to a halt as as five points of light flared up on the ground around her, each one about five feet from her. She looked around in surprise as the points linked up, creating a ten foot wide circle of light on the ground around her. "What the hell is this?!" She exclaimed, looking around frantically.

Kurama stopped and turned to face her. He straightened himself out and called out again. "Botan, activate stage two... now!!!" He called out. The blue-haired girl appeared and held up a talisman in her hand- calling out in a strange language. The silver object was circular with about a six inch diameter with western-style pentagram inside it.

The first point of light projected two glowing beams to the two rear-most ones, then the two on the side forms a beam of light between themselves and then projected simultaneous intersecting beams to the rear-most points. It was at this point that Shrapnel realized that she was at the center of a glowing pentagram. She gasped as the circle rose up as a wall of light- a forcefield that she was now trapped in!

She glared at Kurama, who simply stood before her with a somber gaze on his face while Botan stood by with the talisman in her hand. Suddenly, Kuwabara ran into the warehouse with his spirit sword already powered up and in hand

Kurama straightened himself out and suddenly appeared calm and composed. He walked towards Shrapnel- who was now totally trapped within the barrier. "You and I, we need to talk."

She stepped back, fuming. "Damn you- stop toying with me! How are you doing this?!" She exclaimed from the other side of the wall of light. His calm impassive expression was driving her mad.

"You certainly went to great lengths to create your ultimate defense." Kurama began. "For example, the seals protecting you left arm and left leg- _Dragon_ and _Tiger_, respectively. Clearly, their origins are from the ancient Chinese Feng-Shui mythology of universal harmony." He pointed out in an even tone. "As for the seal on your right leg- _Final Darkness_, if I'm not mistaken- comes from the Judea-Christian creation stories... Darkness was the final curse visited upon the Pharaohs as punishment for enslaving the Israelites."

"As for that seal guarding your torso and the right section of your face- _Thorns_, if I'm not mistaken. It must come from the Christian faith. Their savior- who they worship as the incarnation of their God- wore a crown of thorns upon his head." Kurama explained calmly. "Now, that seal covering the left side of your face- I would assume it stands for _War_, as it's in the likeness of war paint. Perhaps it's intended to invoke Aries, the God of War."

"And lastly, that seal on your right arm- it's _Metal_... So, I think you created from the western myth of alchemy- transforming base metals like iron into valuable minerals like gold." He finished. "You see, you may have acquired a lethal understanding of my purely physical abilities... but you neglected to consider my most powerful weapon- my mind."

Kurama stepped forward, narrowing the gap between them. _"Shrapnel of the Six Seals,"_ he began. "That's the title you've been using recently... I've done my research and I know who you really are... or perhaps who you were- 'Hikari Blackwell'." He continued- leaving the Demon Huntress in shock at the sudden revelation.

She stood in silence as he continued. "How did I know?" He asked, noting the woman's bewildered expression. "It was relatively simple once I figured out you were an apparition." He explained. "I checked the Spirit World Archives for unsolved crimes... specifically for ones that matched your methods and tactics... once I was able to form a _modus operandi_ it was simple math after that."

Kuwabara looked on in surprise at the scene before him and then turned to Botan. "Hey, what's going on?" He asked abruptly. "Why the heck is he just standing there when he's got her trapped? He wasting time!" He continued in frustration.

Before she could offer up an answer, he started to move in- towards the detective and the hunter, but stopped when Kurama held up his hand and looked over shoulder at the two of them. "This is my battle... and I will not allow you to interfere." He instructed in a grave tone, causing him to stop in his tracks. "I am sorry, but from here on out... this matter no longer concerns you." He said and turned back to Shrapnel.

They both watched silently as he spoke. "Hikari," He began. "It's time for us to discard any pretenses... from here on we will speak as one Spirit to another... as equals." He said calmly, his posture and tone contrasting sharply with the defensive air about her. "In the Makai, I was known as Youko Kurama..." He said in a distant voice.

"But my mother named me Suichi." He said as an image his mother cradling him as a baby flickered in the back of his mind, he made sure to put particular emphasis into his words when it came to mentioning his mother. He moved in closer, till he was almost touching the barrier. "Tell me Hikari... what did your mother call you?"

Shrapnel felt herself go cold when the words came out- it was almost as if the world around them shattered like old class and crumbled away... leaving only darkness. "...mother... my mother...?" She murmured softly in a trembling voice as her gaze seemed to flit about about but never directly at him. Her muscles went slack and her head fell forward... as if all her energy had left her.

"...my m-m-mother called me Hisami..." She said in a broken whisper, her faint voice cracking at the mention of the long forgotten name. The young man nodded calmly, but said nothing- allowing the silence on his end continue while other spoke.

Kurama made no move, even as that the barrier's strength and power began to fade. For the two of them, at that moment in time- 'Youko Kurama' and 'Hikari Blackwell'... nothing else really existed. She rubbed he cheek softly with her left hand before speaking up. "Kurama..." She began in a delicate voice. "...you were only part right... I did have a mother... a long time ago..." She whispered, suddenly recalling the woman who had 'raised' her.

Kuwabara walked over to Botan and looked at her- noting that she was now looking at the 'pentalisman' with a worried expression. He nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and him, only to see him watching the two spirits intently. "Right now, all we can do is watch... and have faith in Kurama."

Hikari had escaped into the human world in the same way that he had... by merging with the unborn daughter of a human woman. And like Kurama, she had come to know and savor the experience of her human mother's love for her. "Back then... all I wanted was to be Hisami, her daughter... it was like nothing I'd ever known... but a... a monster showed up when I was little..." She paused, feeling her eyes start to brim with tears. "... and the monster killed her... the woman who gave birth to me... my mother..."

Kurama tilted his head slightly to get a better look and noted grimly that tears were now freely running down her shadowed face. But what happened next even surprised him!

She started sobbing violently. "...h-he killed my mommy..." She cried out between choked sobs. However, what really shocked him was that the voice she spoke in seemed different- the cold confidence was gone... replaced with a shockingly frail and childlike tone. He guessed that she was must be undergoing some sort of regression as a result of recalling the traumatic memories.

She continued to cry hysterically like a broken-hearted little girl. "The monster- _the Bogeyman_ -he came and..." She paused again, trying to force air into her stinging lunges. "...He spa-splattered mommy's blood all over me... he took her away from me...!" She said between tears. Now, however, bits of her old voice were seeping back into her words. "I couldn't tell what was her blood and what was my tears!"

It was hard for Kurama to remain calm and collected... He understood better then anyone just how much the love of a parent meant- he had been willing to give his own life to save his mother- after all, what was his life when weighed against the act of bringing him into the world and showing him so much love? It was a small price in his mind. But as Yusuke- of all people- had told him all those years ago- saving her would mean nothing if she was left to spend her life grieving over him.

Hikari suddenly looked up at him again. This time, she seemed eerily calm when she spoke, her words were mechanical and emotionless, as if she was shell-shocked. "I was so happy back then... but those days are long gone." She said in an almost monotone voice. "People who lead 'boring' lives are lucky... but I wasn't one of them..." She finished, melancholy and bitterness now seeping into her voice. "Maybe the gods were punishing me for stealing happiness I didn't deserve...?"

Kurama shook his head at her words and held out his hands. "I can't truly begin to properly understand the profound depths of your sadness..." He offered, his tone gentle. "...you were left all alone... with nothing but grief and resentment inside you... so you turned to vengeance." He continued.

"To be hurt so deeply that you sought a means to numb your soul... to harden your heart so that you could never be hurt again..." He explained gravely, stepping into the circle.

Botan covered her mouth and stumbled back, horrified at the story unfolding before them. "...my god." She murmured softly as tears started to run down her cheeks. Kuwabara allowed her to lean into him... she had never been very good at keeping herself composed, so he didn't mind.

Now Kurama was inside the barrier with her- the fact that he had come in showed that it was drained to such an extent that she could have escaped... however, she was clearly in no condition to make such a move. "You found the powers you needed to become a mercenary for demons." Kurama explained as she felt her knees grow weak. He was quick to move closer as she began to falter.

Kuwabara's felt something akin to cold wind passing through him as he considered everything that he had heard thus far. She shook his head while Botan leaned against him. "...she was just a kid." He remarked in a whisper.

Hikari fell to her knees and Kurama was quick to kneel down before her. "When a person knows only violence, there lives will always lead them to conflict and unhappiness." He reasoned to her. "You tried to stop the pain by harming others..." He added. "Yet, in truth... you were harming yourself more than anything else."

By now, Kurama and Hikari were so immersed in their conversation that it was like their were on stage and the lights had gone down- the only illumination was the spotlight shining on the two of them. She had fallen to her knees and covered her eyes as she began shed yet more tears. She heard a distant voice calling to her and looked up to see the kneeling figure of Kurama before her- his arm outstretched and dangling a small locket before her.

The thin silver chain had a circular object attached to it with a round white ore embedded in it, the elevated rounded surface of the stone picked up the moonlight coming in through the open windows of the old building. Recollection flooded through her as she looked at it in amazement- she remembered it, it was a gift from her mother!

He brought his hand up briefly, over his mouth as if he were rubbing the underside of his nose and brought it back down.

Kurama deftly tossed it to her in a small arcing pass through the air. She caught it easily enough in her outstretched hand. A sense of shame and regret suddenly washing over her. "My god," She thought to herself. "...I've failed her as well now... No good as a fighter, no good a criminal, and no good as daughter..." She thought sadly. "...I've dishonored her memory... I'm just a worthless misfit trapped inside an armored shell!" She thought bitterly.

She was suddenly pulled back to reality when Kurama captured her hand in his like a hawk! She panicked as he reached around her with his other arm- and while supporting the base of her back, knocked her backwards,leaving her teetering off balance. Still holding onto her, he though to himself._ "Its time... for Youko and Suichi to act as one."_ He mused inwardly. _"This is it, the duty of a man."_ He continued silently.

Hikari panicked as he leaned in closer, and looked at her with an unnerving and penetrating stare. She could see it in his eyes- his true nature, his predatory instinct was obvious to her. He mind reeled as the notion of her imminent death dominated her thoughts.

Kurama moved in... and kissed her! The action was fast and quick at first as his lips pressed hard against hers and her eyes went wide in a mix of horror and confusion. The power of his actions left her week and unable to do little more than submit to him... But then, she felt oddly calm as he maintained the contact... The kiss quickly became infinitely more gentle and soothing, especially as he cupped the side of her face softly with his free hand while tilting slightly to the side to deepen it. Her whole body felt warm and soothed and she knew that she was blushing now... and then, almost reflexively, she leaned into the kiss- desperate to prologue the connection.

After several more secants, they broke the kiss and he pulled back- smiling warmly at her and running his hand down from her cheek to rest reassuringly on her shoulder. "You're free now... Hikari, look at your true self." He murmured softly to her.

She glanced down at herself and gasped in shock when she saw that the markings were totally gone from her. Her soft fair skin was now visible instead, yet her form and the muscle tone in her arms and legs as well her defined stomach was still visible. However, there was a degree of softness to her now... even in her hair, which seemed to hang down around her face, brushing against her smooth skin. Her mind was a mess as she tried to make sense- _"how had he deactivated the seals?"_ she wondered.

However, she suddenly felt faint and would have fallen to the floor if not for Kurama's intervention- moving in to support her and cradle her against his frame. "It's alright... Hisame," He spoke, almost whispering. "After everything you've been through, you can finally rest... the bad dreams can finally end." He told her gently.

**(- End of Chapter 7 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

Believe it or not, the last section of this chapter has been in existence for years. I drew the entire conversation in the form of a comic back around 2006, during my summer vacation. So, it's something I've been holding onto for a very long time. This is one of the few things I always planned to do in this story that didn't undergo any real change at all.

Also, Ken Nagashima was always going to be in the story, as well as the idea of one of the Disciples being in the likeness of the Haitian Voodoo Lord, Baron Samedi. Originally, Shrapnel was the only female one, but I ended up changing this as some of the originals ultimately were not good enough- Shimmer is a good example this change, as well as a character I've really gotten to like. I also planned to have Yusuke take part in the battle in some way, but as the story evolved- I realized that it would be bad to just force him in for the sake of being there.

Since I'm intending for this to be a fairly long storyline, I created a large cast of characters just as I did in _Saga of the Dark World_. Some people, if they read that story, might recall a few things hinting to events in this story that will now make sense. Anyway, I've still got a lot more to do in the next few chapters, so I'll wrap this up.

Special thanks to everyone who's come out to show support for both me and this story- as well as any of my others works.

-Bojack727


	8. Chapter 08: The Calm before the Storm

Not much else to say at the moment. This chapter is another part of what's going to act as my buffer and allow me to update at a faster pace. Surprisingly, these last four chapters have all ended up being over 8 pages and 4700 words. I don't normally write that much back to back, so I guess it must be that I've reached a good place in terms of this story.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**EPISODE 08: "The Calm before the Storm"**

**.o.o.o.**

_...Spirits are such fragile things..._

Kurama nodded. "You were right Kagamaru, misbegotten spirits- like us- are so vulnerable and easily manipulated." He mused silently. "Still, more disturbing is the fact that we know virtually nothing about our enemy while they seem to know everything about us... it's taken our best efforts to deal with only a few of them... so what will we do when they decided to move in even numbers?"

"Hey, Casanova!" A familiar voice called out. "Either you're the world's greatest kisser or she's dead." Kuwabara remarked with a broad smile on his face. "So which is it?" He asked cheekily.

Kurama balked at this, twitching slightly as sweat ran down the side of his face. Before he could reply, Botan chimed in. "How sad, another victim of Kurama's masculine wiles." She remarked gleefully, much to the dismay of the the young man- who could only wither under the teasing remarks.

"At this rate, they're gonna have to start hiding the girls from you at your school." Kuwabara teased, standing over him, along with Botan.

The red-haired boy tried to respond but stumbled on his own words. "Honestly, you don't understand!" He protested. "Her whole body was like armor- the only way I could stop her and deactivate her powers was administer the knock-out seed orally!" He added defensively... while ironically still cradling her in his arms.

Kuwabara thought about this for a moment and shrugged. "...I guess he has a point, I mean it's not like he's anything like Yusuke." He reasoned.

Botan nodded. "Still, I don't know what we're going to do with her..." She added with a note of concern in her voice. "Normally, she'd just be taken in to Spirit World and confined." she began. "However, I really don't think I could do it in good conscience." She confessed, brushing her hand against her blue hair.

"I may have an idea..." Kurama began.

**.o.o.o.**

Gado was busy opening the can of beer from behind the counter of the small bar in the disused lounge of the building. He lifted it up and took a drink from it as the balcony door slid open and The Stray Cat walked in. He regarded the Shape-Shifter silently from behind the can.

"I'm afraid I have some rather unfortunate information for you." He began, now standing before the tall man with a neutral expression on his face.

Gado lowered the can and looked at the punk/metal shape-shifter. "Let me guess, Shrapnel failed to stop Kurama, correct?" He asked dully before taking another swig from the can. In truth, such news wouldn't have shocked Gado all that much, considering how things had gone so far.

Nawari shook his head, somewhat nervously. "Actually, it's a bit more complicated then that... and also a bit more surreal..." Gado's interest was actually peeked at this point. "While she was stopped- she wasn't killed... and now appears to be in their custody." He added in an awkward tone. "Further more, it almost seemed as if she's lost the will to fight..." He continued. "...Perhaps it might be better if you saw what I'm referring to..."

The smaller demon then proceeded to walk over to where a large TV and a DVD-Player were set up in one corner of the medium-sized room. He held up one of his hands and it started to morph and change shape- a tendril extending towards the TV, where it linked with the front audio/video Input jacks.

**.o.o.o.**

Hikari, or Shrapnel as she was also known, found herself engulfed in a comforting sense of warmth and safety. She slowly became more aware of her surroundings and gradually realized that she was being carried by Kurama and was bundled up in his jacket. The redhead seemed to be talking to some other people- she guessed that the voices belonged to Kuwabara and Botan.

_She felt safe..._

She didn't want to interrupt their discussion, so she continued to behave as if she were still asleep. She suddenly remembered something about her encounter... something she hadn't noticed at the time. Just after he'd kissed her and pulled back to look at her... she'd seen him, the 'real' him. The eyes were most striking part. It was as if, without saying a word, he'd told that he understood. After all, it would have been easier to just kill her, yet he actually put himself in great danger to saver her from... well, from herself.

_She'd seen Youko..._

Somehow, she'd been able to see him in his true form. The striking figure of the handsome fox-spirit had resonated in her mind... His deep golden eyes and long silver hair and his white tail (both of which had seemed to almost glow) and his lean pale form. In spite of all the terrible things she'd heard about him, she didn't feel as if she was in danger... in fact, she felt a strange connection to the fox, as well as a sense that she could trust him. Somehow, she knew that he would take care of her...

…

Botan explained that she'd 'sit' on the paperwork long enough for Kurama to figure out a more permanent arrangement for Hikari. The redhead smiled and thanked the girl as she departed for the Spirit World.

For his part, Kuwabara explained that he needed to get back home and check up on things there- to make sure his mother and sister weren't worried about him and to bring Shizuru up to speed on things. (He'd recently begun confiding in her a lot more.) He waved to the other young man and headed off on the path to his house.

And so, Kurama continued on, alone now- save for the silent woman in his arms – to meet up with someone and figure out what to do with the currently harmless former Spirit he had taken responsibility for.

**.o.o.o.**

Keiko reached into one of the pockets on her jacket and took out a worn looking plastic case- the surface was brown and scaly, like dried snake skin. She handed it to Yusuke as he emerged from his room, after finishing changing into his regular clothes.

The two of them were in the front room of the apartment he shared with his mother, Etsuko Urameshi. Thankfully, she was asleep at the moment, so they were able to avoid having to explain what Keiko was doing here... not that his mother would have complained all that much. Seeing as how she was a 33 year-old mother with an 18 year-old son- so something like having Keiko over was no big deal, and she knew the girl well enough to know that nothing 'funny' would happen

Yusuke looked at the case for a moment, failing to realize what it was. Keiko sighed and stepped forward. "It's a sunglasses case, I found it back at my house." She explained softly. "It used to be my dad's, but he hasn't worn it in a long time... so it shouldn't be a problem if you use it while you're eyes are still recovering." She explained.

He nodded in understanding and popped the case open- taking out the old aviator-style sunglasses and slipping them on. He smiled at her and the two of them left the front room to meet up with someone...

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama tucked the sleeping form of Hikari into the bed, making sure that she was comfortable. Mostly due to his limited sight, Yusuke missed the endearing gentleness in the way that he handled her... Keiko, however, for her part- did notice of this and smiled warmly.

He finished pulling the sheets up around her. "It's fortunate that this apartment still has its furnishings." Kurama began as the three stepped out of the bedroom and into the living room. "Yes, she should be safe here for the foreseeable future." He added with a smile. He then looked over at Yusuke. "Again, thank you for helping me out on such short notice." He spoke, then glanced at Keiko. "You too, I appreciate it."

Both of the youths nodded in response. "Hey, it's no big deal," Yusuke began. "But aren't you concerned that someone might eventually stumble onto her?" He asked the redhead.

Kurama shook his head in response. "No... I considered that, so I took the precaution of placing plants near the door that release specialized spores when people with little or no spiritual awareness pass by." He explained. "The exact effects are fairly complicated... but the important thing is that to most people, the apartment will become a non-issue... not worth even commenting on- almost as is didn't exist. As a result, no one should bother with it or try to rent it out."

The dark-haired youth exhaled. "Well that's a load of my back." Yusuke admitted half jokingly. "Thought I was gonna end up having to fight off anyone who messed with the place." He added jokingly.

Kurama nodded at him. "Yes, of course." He answered. "I would never dream of placing such a burden on your shoulders." He added, reaching up to rub his own cheek thoughtfully. "Well, at least not until your sight has fully returned." He said jokingly with a small smile. "Again, thank you. I am in both your dept." He added softly.

Yusuke played off the jab with an awkward laugh. Keiko rested a hand on his shoulder and looked over at Kurama. "What about your family, I expect you came up with some excuse for being gone, right?" She asked, receiving an affirming nod from the other young man. She looked at her watched and sighed. "It's past midnight... I told my parents I'd be home by now." She observed. "I'd better get going." She added with a smile to Yusuke and Kurama before exiting the room.

The two were about to leave when Kurama called out to them softly. They turned around and he smiled at Yusuke again. "One more thing... those glasses," He began. "They suit you, it's a good look." He added.

The dark-haired youth grinned at the compliment. Keiko just shook her head and took him by the arm to leave.

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama walked down the street, holding a plastic bag in one hand with the icon of a local convenience store on it. He paused abruptly, his eyes looking to the side yet not bothering to turn around and look or even to tilt his head. He then jumped to the side as a spinning object tore through the ground- leaving a deep gash in the paved street.

"How do you like my _yo-yo_?" Blade asked, stepping out from a dark ally. "It's one of my favorite weapons and a nice toy." He added in a deranged voice, gradually taking steps towards the young man. "I've spent so many years mastering combat with dozens of bladed weapons... they really are the best." He continued, looking at the weapon as it was now back in his hand.

Kurama jumped out of the way of another attack from the circular weapon- still holding onto the plastic bag in one hand while steadying himself with the other. Blade smiled as it returned to him. "The wonderful thing about this this that is wasn't always a child's toy, the original concept was based on an ancient human weapon from Indian." He explained. "Ironic isn't, how such an instrument of death could become a mere child's plaything?"

He took another step forward and holstered the yo-yo. "You might have been able to defeat Shrapnel... but I'm nothing like her- I'm a totally different class of demon." Blade spoke as he reached behind his back and drew a long metal object that resembled the blade of an old-fashioned cavalry saber and and aimed it at him. "I will kill you... and when I'm finished here, I'll go take care of _her_ as well." He added, attempting to hold back laughter as he glared at him.

Kurama regarded his attacker as water rushed noisily along through the canal behind him, down the grassy embankment and concealed in darkness. Blade began slowly side-stepping while maintaining his gaze on him. Kurama matched his movements- continuously keeping him in his line of sight.

The two of them continued to circle one another, never breaking eye-contact. Kurama regarded him with a stern gaze. "I was hoping to avoid any deaths tonight... but it seems some things are unavoidable." He spoke in a soft tone, gauging his opponent. "Still... you are correct about one thing... you're nothing like her." He added in a dark tone.

Blade laughed loudly at the declaration. "To think that I'd be facing one of the greatest terrors of the Makai... the legendary 'Spirit Thief' himself- only to have him spout off a load of pacifist garbage!" He exclaimed. "You will die this night!" He added and rushed towards Kurama

**.o.o.o.**

Gado was working on his second beer as he watched the events of the confrontation between Shrapnel and Kurama. "Smart kid..." He muttered between sips. "...dismantled her from top to bottom like a cheep Chinese toy." He added. "I'm beginning to think this 'kid' could be a hell of a lot more dangerous to our plans than we initially guessed." He said in an oddly serene tone.

"I thought I might find you in here." Badman spoke as he entered the dark room- his hands tucked into the pockets of his old duster- and walked over to were Gado was sitting- on a bar stool while the television played before him. He looked at it. "What ya watching- porn?" He asked in a devious tone as he removed his hat and set it down on the counter.

Gado snorted at the remark and simply handed the gunman a beer. "Hardly," He began with a strange smile. "This is much more entertaining- watch it." He added, picking up a remote and reversing the footage. "Nawari recorded it... it's footage of Shrapnel's battle with the fox spirit Kurama." He explained, taking a drink while Badman pulled up a chair and opened his can. "The fight was okay... nothing too remarkable... but this part- well, it's something else."

The other man shrugged his shoulders. "Of course, it's not like Shimmer would let me watch that stuff." he began, taking a seat beside him. The two men watched as the scene of Kurama and Shrapnel play out from beginning to end. Badman looked at the tall man in amazement. "Shit! Is that kid some sort of fucking genius?" He asked before taking another long drink from the beer he was holding.

Gado stopped the footage. "Crazy, isn't it?" He asked. "In terms of pure strength, that kid is ranked in the top fifty most powerful apparitions." He continued. "But I think if you factored in his intelligence as well... he'd easily be in the top twenty."

They both turned around as one of the windows slid open and the Stray Cat jumped inside. "I've got some more news," He began as he slid the window shut. "I've learned through my connections that Blade is dead... It would seem that he got himself killed while attempting to assassinate Youko Kurama at a juncture along a side road." He explained. "...He was found- badly wounded and floating in a nearby canal."

Badman was silent as Gado looked down at the empty beer can he was holding. He sighed and looked back up. "How appropriate, he always did seem to like the water." He remarked calmly in an almost nostalgic tone.

**.o.o.o.**

A stray slivers of sunlight shined into the room. Hikari grunted faintly and rolled onto her side. She remained like this for a few more moments before thoughts began to actually trickle into her mind. She bolted upright and looked around the room- panic taking over as she failed to recognize anything around her. Her heart rate sped up even more as she realized that as well as waking up in a strange place, her powers were no long working either.

She was about to scream when the door slid open and Kurama appeared. The sight of the crimson haired young man jolted her memory- causing her to recall the events of the night. Realizing that she was no longer in any immediate danger, her pulse and breathing slowly began to normalize, but not fast enough for her liking as she began to consider the ramifications of what had happened and what she had done... or, rather what she had not done...

"Good, I see you're up." He observed softly, moving in towards her and taking her wrist in his. He was silent for about 30 secants while he kept his fingers pressed against the little spot on her wrist just below the base of her thumb. "You look alright, but you're heart rate's rather erratic." He commented, concern in his voice. He glanced at her briefly before standing back up. "I guess Keiko's pajamas will have to do for the moment, but I can see they're a little... _small_ on you." He remarked, trying to be as tactful as possible.

He paused. It was almost funny how the pajamas were clearly too small on Hikari, especially when he noted that the top's little buttons seemed hard pressed to stay in place over her breasts (which were clearly larger than Keiko's). He managed to resist smirking at the situation and continued talking. "A friend of mine is going to come by later today with something for you were, like clothes and so on.... as well as," He paused, covering his mouth and feigning a cough to try and hide the blush on his face. "...a few other things you'll be needing, like underwear and so forth."

He was about to leave the room again when he thought her heard something and turned around. She looked over at him, her reddish brown hair hanging messily about her face. "Kurama... thank you, for everything." she said in a soft voice, blushing on her own words. "You risked so much to help me... even though I tried to kill you." She paused again. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I don't understand why you did it?"

He nodded knowingly. "Because, like you, I've done my fare share of things that I regret now." He explained. "I saved you, because I believe that in time, you can become a better person." He added warmly, glancing down at her. "...But it might also be that I'm a sucker for a pretty face." He said while smiling devilishly, causing her to blush again.

**.o.o.o.**

It was dark, he preferred it that way. The building's layout suited his plans well... especially in regards to the upcoming confrontation. Tall metal canisters with 'flammable' symbols on them lined the walls nearby.

The Puppet Master looked up from his work- at the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned to look at the Stray Cat standing before him, hands down at his sides. The smaller demon took a step forward and held up his hands just as he sensed a nearby presence. "Don't be alarmed, I'm on your side." He explained. "I am Nawari, better known as 'The Stray Cat', and I'm here on behalf of the people employing you."

The Puppet Masted nodded in understanding. Stray Cat watched him hold up his hand, signaling to another figure in the darkness. "It's alright Kugutsuko, stand down." He spoke in a even tone- not unlike when addressing a small child or animal. "You'll have to forgive her, she's rather mistrustful of others... especially people with concealed agendas." The gaunt man explained as 'Kugutsuko' glided forward from the shadows.

He looked at the person in question for a moment. He guessed it was female, but it was hard to really tell. The stranger had on a long heavy coal-black overcoat- it was double-breasted in the front and the collar came up and covered the lower half or her face. The base of the coat brushed against the ground while the sleeves came down past the hands. The rest of the face was mostly covered by long raven hair that seemed to flow down into the coat.

The Stray Cat tucked his hands into his jacket pockets and smiled diplomatically. "Yes, this must be our thirteenth member?" He observed. "Gado told us you were supplying 'her'... so I assume she will be assisting you in your task." He added calmly, observing how motionless she was, even her eyes were unreadable- concealed in shadow. "Still, you may be wondering why I'm' here?" He added, turning back to the other man.

"As you may or may now know- Shrapnel was defeated by Youko Kurama." Stray Cat explained- resulting in a chuckle from the demon before him. He frowned. "I wouldn't be so flippant about this if I were you." He admonished Puppet Master, who simply crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby table while the smaller demon continued. "The success of our plan is dependent on keeping those Spirit Detectives from interfering with our plans- we brought the three of you in to stop them..."

"...We had hoped that they could be eliminated quickly- however, they are proving more formidable then we anticipated." Stray explained. "...the failure of Kagamaru and Shrapnel, as well as the deaths of two of our people have forced us to consider a more conservative plan." He offered. "We must inflict as much damage on them as possible... so I hope you can understand that your success is now even more important than ever."

The demon nodded. "In other words, you want me to pick up the slack where the others failed?" He asked. "I was hired to kill one person, but the fact that those two failed makes my job even more difficult." He remarked. "Don't take this the wrong way, but at the moment... the potential danger would seem to outweigh the reward." He finished in a dry tone.

The pale-skinned man nodded. "We understand your concerns, and you're right- the initial contract is no longer adequate for the burden we're placing on you." He continued. "As a gesture of our good faith, you may keep the advance we gave you- 500,000 Euro. However, if you succeed in killing Kuwabara, then you'll be paid an additional million Euro- making your total payoff 2 million."

This got the man's attention- he looked over at Nawari, who was smiling at him. He straightened himself up and looked at the shorter man before him. "That certainly changes things..."

"I'm glad you're satisfied," He replied. "So, with that in mind, I think you'll find what I'm going to say next even more intriguing..." He paused, moving in closer. "If you can kill even just one of the others- then we'll pay you an additional 1 million Euro for each one of them."

"I'll certainly keep that in mind," The Puppet Master countered. "Of course, any help you might be able to offer would be greatly appreciated." He added with a smile.

Stray Cat nodded. "Yes of course," He countered. "We've compiled a fair amount of data on Kuwbara- his habits, social connections, and so on... as well a rather interesting psychological profile." He began, reaching into his jacket and taking out a folder. "Kazuma Kuwabara is a formidable fighter- at the least, he is equivalent to a high A-Class Demon." He paused. "He also possesses a keen spiritual awareness- so a head on confrontation is not advised." He continued. "Rather, we would suggest you employ subterfuge as a means of overcoming him."

The tall listened intently. "Go on..."

"He is impulsive and sometimes reckless, and his powers appears to be linked to his emotional state." The Shape shifter explained. "Like most humans, he is sentimental and places strong value on the welfare of others, such as his friends and family... we think that is this is something you can use against him."

**.o.o.o.**

Shimmer and Dalton sat across from one another in the dining hall. The gray-skinned demoness shifted the glass of wine in her hand, casually watching the wine shift and ungulate in time with the movements of the glass- the rich, blood-colored liquid catching the light once and a while. Similarly, the muted lighting in the hall caused the jewels on her body and clothes to sparkle and illuminated the fine silks adorning her figure as the light partially passed through them.

Dalton had spent a great deal of time admiring the Demoness's figure- the long toned legs, the soft curves of her hips and bottom, her flat stomach, the round curves of her perfect breasts, as well as the way her clothes were revealing enough to show off her figure while maintaining a an air of grace. But what he liked most of all were her eyes- they were dangerous, the eyes of a predator. He was quite familiar with discerning her state through the subtle expression on her face- so he knew when she was annoyed or felt agitated

He leaned forward. "Is something bothering you, my love?" He asked. He observed that his sudden question seemed to have pulled back to reality as she set the glass down and looked at him.

"Nothing really," She began, chewing her lip slightly. She focused her gaze on him, her violet eyes twinkling in the light as a smile graced her delicate lips. "Well, it's simply that I'm bored, being cooped up in this place doesn't really suite my stile." She remarked. "I'd much rather be out and about, living it up." She offered. "It's just the doldrums... well, that and the fact that I think you're wardrobe could use some updating." She added, sipping from the glass and setting it down once more.

"I agree... you're clothes are a little out of fashion." Gado remarked as he appeared at the table. He reached over and picked up the opened wine bottle. "We have no pressing business at the moment... so I can make arrangement for you to visit the nearby mall." He offered, and then looked at the demoness's nearly empty glass. "Allow me." He said with a smile and proceeded to fill the glass back up.

She smiled up at the tall man. "You know," she began, tilting her head and smiling cutely. "If you're not careful, I might actually start to like you." She added. This caused Gado to laugh loudly.

**.o.o.o.**

Puppet Master continued looking through the information as he walked through the dark halls of the old building. 'Kugutsuko' followed silently behind him as he murmured to himself, thinking out loud. "They're right... this kid's a lot more dangerous than he looks," He commented- mostly to himself, out of habit and do to the fact that his cohort never said anything.

He continued looking at the information. "If I'm going to take him out, I'll have to be smart- not to mention crafty." He added, rubbing his chin as he looked over the various pages of data. "The trick will be how to push him just enough... but not enough to get myself killed..." He reasoned calmly. "I'm going to need some sort of _insurance_ to make sure that he isn't able to get the upper hand against me..." He reasoned, running a hand back through his hair. He then paused and began flipping through the pages in file.

He suddenly smiled. "Yes... that's it!" He exclaimed when he found a specific page. "Someone he cares about... someone whose welfare he values even more than his own..." He mused. "There certainly are a lot potential candidates... I'll have to choose carefully."

He suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Yes, I think this person will do quite nicely."

**(- End of Chapter 08 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

I decided that this is going to take place closer to the present time. The anime was supposed to have happen between 1992 to 1996, but I need things to be more contemporary for the story to work better. That's why Stray Cat mentions Euros instead of saying dollars or yen.

Anyway, I'll see you guys later in the next chapter.

-Bojack727


	9. Chapter 09: Entrapment

Well, this extra long chapter is the result of a number of story threads coming together. It's one of the more complex ones, story wise- so there ended up being a lot of ground to cover. I labored over this one for a while and had to do re-write a some scenes a few times before I felt satisified with the final product. I hope you all enjoy it.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**EPISODE 09: "Entrapment"**

**.o.o.o.**

"_You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand."_

_-Woodrow Wilson_

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama looked at the sheathed katana in his hand and nodded to himself. He carefully placed it at the foot of an old tree in the courtyard- it was large and close to the center. It was a pleasant day, with the sun shining down warmly and a breeze moving gently throughout the area. Behind the redhead, Hikari watched silently as he looked down at the weapon in silent reverence.

"This was Kagamaru's sword," He began to explain as he slowly rose to his feet. "While he may have been our enemy... he told me something before he passed on, something very important..." He added, turning to face the tall girl. She was wearing a pair of jeans and sneakers, along with a simple t-shirt and jacket. Her unruly main of reddish-brown hair hung down around the sides of her face and just above her eyes. He moved in closer towards her while she watched him intently.

Kurama paused at her side and smiled. "He helped me remember just how fragile our lives are... as well as how easy it for dispossessed spirits like us to become pawns in the games of others." He added, as she turned to look him in the eyes. "If we are truly part of something bigger then ourselves, we must be willing to fight."

The fox spirit continued. "When we're part of something important, we can become more then were... in my case, it's my family and friends that motivate me to better myself." He explained. "I would go to any lengths to defend those around me- the people I most care about." he added, holding his hand to his chest.

Kurama paused and closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the feel of the wind against his face as a breeze swept between them. "But it's not just out a sense of familial gratitude- I'm also looking after them because that is nature of compassion- to care for others unselfishly." He continued in a soft tone, looking back at the young woman before him "I've come to deeply cherish my mother, and I also want to be someone that my younger brother can depend on."

Hikari blushed faintly- taken back by his gentleness and how candid he was being with her. "I think I understand," she replied in a slightly nervous tone while rubbing the locket hanging around her neck. "For me- I'm not really sure just yet." She admitted. "I know that I want to try to become someone that my mother would be proud of... but I think I'd like to become someone that others can depend on as well." She added, scratching her head nervously.

She was quiet again for a moment. "When I look at the world around me, it's like I'm seeing it for the first time... everything seems so different now." She added. "...I want to be part this. I want to feel alive again- to know the difference between blindness and blinding beauty." She continued, still somewhat unused to being so open with another person. "But I also have to make amends for the things I've done." She looked intently at the redhead. "I never really believed in fate before now... but somehow, I know that there has to be some sort of plan at work- meeting you is proof enough. Don't you think?" She then asked.

Kurama smiled and nodded. "Anything is possible, and I believe your intentions are sincere." He added, reaching out and brushing a hand against her cheek. She blushed, but didn't pull away. "Somehow, being with you seems so natural, so perhaps this is fate..." He began softly. "I know this may sound terribly forward, but I'd really like to get to know you."

She blushed darkly, but smiled at his words and nodded. "I'd really like that..."

**.o.o.o.**

Botan observed that Yusuke was still sporting the sunglasses that Keiko had lent him. His hair still hung down loose- a look that Botan thought rather suited the young man he was becoming. She did note that he appeared to have shaved recently- something that Keiko must have insisted on. She smiled at her own thoughts as she joined him on the walkway that looked onto the courtyard.

Yusuke regarded her for a moment and smiled, before looking back at the two former spirits and noting how comfortable they seemed with each other. He also observed that they both now seemed to be on distinctly friendly terms... if not something more. The dark-haired boy's smile suddenly broadened, prompting the blue-haired woman beside him to give him an inquisitive gaze.

"Well I'll be," Yusuke began with a wide grin and turned to face a still confused Botan. "In all the years I've known him, Kurama's never shown any interest in a girl before." He explained in a hushed tone as Botan gradually began to grasp what he was implying. "I would have sworn he was gay, but now this happens." He continued with a shrug. "So much for my powers of deduction..." He continued with a sigh of mock defeat.

Botan sighed wearily and shook her head- feeling vaguely disappointed in the spirit detective's comments. "Yusuke, I pray that there's more depth to you than what I'm seeing right now..." She said in a week tone. "Otherwise, you really are hopeless."

Yusuke frowned at her words. "Give me some credit," He implored. "I'm a modern twenty-first century kind o' guy." He added proudly, gripping the front of his jacket and making it jut out flamboyantly in an attempt to amuse her. "But you must admit that his mother would be pretty relieved to see something like this." He reasoned, giving her a cool expression while leaning back on his elbows against the wooden railing.

**.o.o.o.**

The majority of Genkai's compound was built in the style of a classical Japanese country estate- with multiple wings and traditional roofs. The path that lead up the compound brought visitors under a large tori and then to an arched gateway that opened into a picturesque front garden full of sakura trees and a small pond with fish. At the far end of the enclosed area was the elevated front entrance.

The main hall was two stories high with a massive facade built into the high arch of the roof and sturdy columns held up a heavy sloped wooden awning over the front deck. The inside was full of relics- some were weapons or instruments used by Genkai herself while others were simply decorative gifts from bygone friends or things she had acquired during her adventures when she was younger.

From the main hall, grew the east and west wings- stretching straight back like arms around the courtyard. These two wings were comprised mainly of living quarters, baths, and commons areas such as dining rooms or lounges. Both the rooms and halls were warmly lit and the outer walls made from a fine dark wood while the inner walls and doors were tradition paper constructs. Open-air walk ways led out to the courtyard between them from either side.

The courtyard itself was large and had numerous plants, flowers, and trees of varying type and age spread throughout it. A simple stone path snaked through the area, allowing for a leisurely walk while stone benches offered rest or quiet reflection. The furthest end of was open and led out into a grassy expanse that ended with a gently sloping hillside with a river a short distance from the base of it.

Hikari crossed her arms and sighed while looking at the scenery around them. The fox spirit noticed this gesture and moved in beside her. "You seem troubled, is something wrong?" He asked in a gentle tone.

The young woman looked over at him, briefly glancing into his brilliant green eyes, and shook her head. "I'm not sure..." She began slowly. "I should be happier... but something about all this doesn't seem quite real... as if none of this was real and I was dreaming." She offered, her words tinged with frustration.

Kurama nodded. "Yes, I can see what you mean." He replied. "No matter what species one is, it's often hard to transition from way of life to another." He continued, his soft gaze never leaving her as he spoke. "But I promise that all of this is very real," He said, looking at the flowers and trees around them. "You've been given a second chance... a rare opportunity to do things differently."

She nodded, uncrossing her arms. "I know... I'm just worried that I don't have the strength to become a better person." She explained and looked away.

He shook his head. "Don't worry, I have faith in you." The redhead offered. "In time, you'll learn to harness the strength inside you to accomplish something positive... It just takes time."

She reached out nervously, fumbling for his hand yet unwilling to risk meeting his gaze- eventually the fox moved closer and took her hand in his. Standing side by side, the tall woman practically stood shoulder to shoulder with him. She blushed again before speaking up. "...Thank you."

At that moment, Yusuke suddenly appeared- running frantically into the courtyard and skidding to a stop before the two of them. Both of the former apparitions turned to face him- Hikari noted both the concerned look on Kurama's face and the panicked expression of the dark-haired young man. "Yusuke, what's wrong?" He asked.

Yusuke regarded the two of them briefly while trying to collect his thoughts. "Kuwabara just called me," He began in a panic-stricken tone. He looked down at his feet and muttered an incomprehensible curse before looked back up at them. "...Shizuru's been kidnapped!"

**.o.o.o.**

The door to the dark room swung open and the Puppet Master and Kugutsuko entered. The tall man made a gesture and the cloaked figure moved forward and tossed Shizuru onto the floor. The brunet hit the ground roughly but still turned around to glare at the two of them.

The older girl's hands and feet were bound, so the best she could do was to get back up into sitting position. "I don't know who you guys are or what you're trying to do, but kidnapping me isn't going to help!" She spat in a dark tone. "Just so you know, I'm not going to cooperate with you!" She added angrily.

The two of them were silent for a moment. The strange tall man seemed mildly amused by her outburst, while the one in the dark coat- whom she guessed was a woman just stared impassively down at her. Resting his hands on his hips, he glared down at her. "My dear, your very presence here is more than enough- I kidnapped you to use you as bait for your brother... who I plan to kill." He explained, waving a hand casually. "Now, for the time being- you'll be staying right here... that is, until I need you." He explained.

Gesturing toward his silent accomplice. "She will be guarding you- I recommend that you do not take Kugutsuko lightly." He explained. "Do not mistake her silence as lack of intelligence- I assure you, she is quite adept. So if you're smart, you wont try anything funny..." He paused. "Because, if you try to do something foolish- then I can't really guaranty your safety." He added in a dangerous tone before departing from the room and leaving Shizuru alone with the mysterious being.

For a while after his departure, there was only silence as the seemingly mute capture simply stood in the doorway while Shizuru remained silent, trying to think of something. To be sure, she was worried...

Her presence would likely complicate things... a multitude of scenarios played out in her mind. Logically, she was going to used as a hostage and a bargaining chip against her brother. The concept made her ill. She knew her younger brother well enough to know that while his emotions could be a powerful asset, they could also be a dangerous liability. Shizuru wasn't so much worried about her own death... what troubled her was the possibility that she might be used against him- and thus be part of the cause of his death.

She tried to focus her thoughts... The aura surrounding the tall guy was classic- another text book example of an evil demon with delusions of grandeur... In short, just another villain. In that sense, there was nothing shocking about him...

However, there was something strange about the other one... a strange aura around 'her', though she couldn't work out specifically what was so odd about it. She glanced over at the dark form and then looked back at the ground... She focused on the sensation again, trying to get a clear picture. Slowly, she noted that the aura itself seemed rather bland and washed out- like there was no deeper aspect to it. The closest she could come to describing it was as if this one's aura was a blank slate- nothing evil or good about... just neutral.

_'No, I'm sure I'm missing something... something important.' _She thought silently and tried to focus. She wasn't even sure what she was hoping to achieve, but she kept getting this odd feeling that she missing some bit of crucial information. Her instincts told her that she needed to figure it out... somehow, it might make some difference. She sighed and continued to mull over the aura. It was like the surface was sleek and pristine, and yet she got this nagging urge that if she could just scratch the surface... that she'd find something.

**.o.o.o.**

"Dammit!" Kuwabara swore, before collapsing onto the floor of the large room. His head slumped in defeat as he sat in silence. He had gone to the house to check up things and see how Shizuru was doing. He sensed something was wrong and the open front door only fueled his fears. The final detail was the lingering presence of an evil aura and even a note telling him where to go.

Yusuke and Kurama had rushed over to the house and convinced him to return to the compound- if not for the intervention, he might have set off on his own and end up walking right into a trap. For the moment, they couldn't risk spreading out, and thus creating other targets for their enemies. For the time being, the safest choice was to fall back and try and work out some sort of strategy. Kuwabara could do little more then sit dejectedly while Yusuke and Kurama spoke with Botan about what to do next. For the moment, however, it seemed as if the abductors had the upper hand.

It was hard for Yukina to see the turmoil on his face, and it was even harder for her knowing that she couldn't do anything to help. She just sat down beside him and placed her small hand on his. The contact pulled him out his pit and he looked over at her, noting the helpless look in the little Ice Maiden's eyes. He glanced down at his other hand and sighed, his head dropping down again as the small woman tried to offer him some degree of comfort.

Hikari approached Yusuke and Kurama. Standing before the two of them put her on edge- not because she felt threatened, but rather because she felt partially to blame for what had happened. She cleared her throat and looked back at the two of them. "I know a little about him... the one who kidnapped your friend's sister..." She offered nervously while the two listened intently. "He's called _The Puppet Master_. I met him, along with Kagamaru when we were hired to... eliminate the three of you." She added with a degree of difficulty.

Kuwabara perked up this, but remained silent a she continued to speak. "While I don't really know much about his actual abilities... I do know that he is very dangerous." She explained, crossing her arms nervously. "That man has no sense of honor and cares for nothing but his own interests... he's in this for the money." She added. "Whatever he's planning- you should expect that it's going to be a trap." She concluded gravely before uncrossing her arms.

Yusuke nodded. "Don't worry, we figured that he's going to try and pull something like that." He offered. "Unfortunately, we have little other choice then to play by his rules... well, for the moment at least." He added, running a hand through his dark hair. "Of course, it's not as if there there really is any other way to go about this."

Hikari stepped forward, her reddish-brown locks shifting as she moved in. "Please, you must understand that you are all in grave danger- if any of the other Disciples show up, you'll be dangerously outnumbered." She exclaimed in an imploring voice. "...Even if you successfully stop the Puppet Master... the remaining members- Gado and the others- are even more dangerous and ruthless!"

Kurama nodded in agreement. "I appreciate your concern... and the information you've given us." He began thoughtfully. "However, in truth- fighting at a disadvantage is something that we have a good deal of experience in." He continued as Kuwabara rose up onto his feet. "But as you can imagine, we have little other choice in the matter- we must do everything we can to rescue Shizuru from the enemy." He added in a serious tone.

"They're right, the odds are always stacked against us." Kuwabara remarked- he had been listening to their conversation. He looked at the three of them and then before briefly looking through the open door to the courtyard. "Most of all, I have to go... this guy you're talking about- he took MY sister hostage." Kuwabara explained in a determined voice.

He continued. "Regardless of how dire the circumstances are, I won't back down or shy away from any possible danger." He explained, clenching his fist. "It's my duty to save her." He added solemnly. "That's why I'll go no matter what, even if it is a trap."

**.o.o.o.**

Gado was standing out on the balcony, looking out across the city scape as the sun slowly descended into the distant horizon. Nawari effortlessly touched down behind him, not making a single sound as his boots made contact with the ground. "Just as we predicted- the Puppet Master has made his move against Kazuma Kuwabara." He explained. "And so, with his sister kidnapped- a confrontation is all but assured. Kuwabara will most likely come for her before the end of this day." He added calmly.

"Excellent," Gado replied, grinning dangerously- his sharp teeth visible as he turned to face the smaller demon. "Still, I expect that they'll move in force against the Puppet Master- they'll try and help him." He added as he stepped back inside the building- Nawari moving in step along with him. "We'd better gather the others- just in case either one of those other two boys try to get involved, I intend to be there to run interference..." He added calmly. "And of course- it'll be a good chance to give them a taste of what the Disciples can really do." He added, gesturing dramatically with his arms as he moved.

The Stray Cat nodded, the metal on his jacket rustling as he walked along. "Yes of course," The Shapeshifter replied. "Most of them are in the building right now." He added as they crossed the dark room- moving past the bar and the television- and stepped out into the dimly-lit hallway. "As for the others, they should be in range of my familiars- so contacting them shouldn't be any trouble." He offered coolly, smiling back at the taller demon ahead of him. "Plus, our late friend will be arriving soon."

Gado nodded. "Speaking of those things- I want them deployed around the area to gather data." He instructed. The two of the stopped at the elevator and Gado pressed the button to call it up. "The intel we gathered from Kagamaru and Makimbi's fight more than made up for their failures... So I expect that any data we can gather on the human should be of great importance." He explained as the doors slid open in a quick motion. The two of them stepped into it- Gado pressing the button for the first floor.

"Agreed, we're approaching a crucial stage now," Nawari coolly explained. "Word is that they're almost ready to begin the preliminary test runs of stage one, so it's more important then ever that we know who we can depend on when the time comes." He offered, leaning against the wall and sticking his hands into his pockets as he spoke.

Gado nodded and glanced over at the button panel- watching the different round displays light up in descending succession. He glanced back at the other demon. "I assure you that I most certainly appreciate the importance of our great mission- nothing must be allowed to get in our way." He began. "The others know just as well as we do... They are all followers of the True Path, who share our vision of the future. Every single one of us knows just what's at stake." He explained. "Still... more than that- we all know that what we're doing today will also effect countless others as well... we'll be changing history soon." He added.

Nawari smiled. "You really are a visionary, eh Gado?" He asked, prompting a smile from the taller man. The door promptly slid open and the two of them stepped out...

**.o.o.o.**

Shizuru silently cursed, regretting having never properly refined her spirit sense. She was aware of the times when her brother seemed to be privy to events and information that no one else was aware of- like when Yusuke had died the first time or during the Dark Tournament. Slowly, things began to become clear. Still, it lacked proper order or coherence... it was as if she knew all the notes in a song, but nothing about the order they went in.

"The truth is staring me in the face... just below the surface." She commented to herself, only to snap to attention at her own words. 'Below the surface'- that was the key somehow. The 'true nature' of the other kidnapper was hidden beneath the surface... somewhere, deep down. Somehow, she now understood that if she could reach this secret- as it were- then she might even be able to influence the mysterious accomplice, perhaps even enough to effect the outcome of the inevitable confrontation. It was a long shot, but for her- it was the only option she had.

...Elsewhere, Kugutsuko paused momentarily when she felt a strange sensation she was not accustomed to. It was like a fleeting electrical shock- it only lasted for split second, but in that instant... she felt something. This proved troubling as she tried to make sense of it. Soon, however, she remembered that she had a task to perform. She told herself that this was her purpose- to perform the tasks she was given. Still, she realized that if she were really in her normal state- then she wouldn't even be having any sort of internal dialogue to begin with.

She returned her focus to making sure that the prisoner remained where they had left her. The Puppet Master was currently occupied with preparing for the arrival of the prisoner's brother- whom he most likely planned to kill... once he had fun with him. Another unusual thing (in this case, unnoticed by her) was that by simply thinking, she had recognized herself as separate being... Something that the Puppet Master would not have wanted- were he to become aware of this.

For Kugutsuko, the unknown was something dangerous. She didn't like the idea of random factors influencing her... She was supposed to be a tool for her master to use- and a tool was not supposed to have any sort of will of its own or concept of itself. She reasoned then that the prisoner must have something to do with it... somehow, she had to put a stop to this before it endangered her ability to perform her tasks.

She would confront her and resolve the conflict, one way or another...

**.o.o.o.**

Shizuru watched as the door swung open and the familiar cloaked figure entered. She went pale as realization donned on her- just now, she'd seen something. A vision from the past...

She struggled to her feet as Kugutsuko advanced towards her, yet she made to attempt to run or hide as she looked at her. Her captor's body language was very different now- more frantic and uncertain. Shizuru looked at her with a grave expression. "I understand now," She began. "I know what that man did to you." She continued as her captor closed the distance between them and grabbed hold of her by her shirt.

"What are you doing to me?!" Kugutsuko blurted out in a strange voice that seemed to surprise both of them. It was strained and somewhat mechanical- as if a once monotone voice was now struggling with an unfamiliar array of tones.

Shizuru looked at her, trying to maintain her composure. "I know what happened to you... I know that you weren't always like this... he changed you." She added, noting the sudden silence in the cloaked figure. "I also know that you would never have done something like this if that guy out there hadn't 'altered' you!" She added.

Shizuru stumbled back as Kugutsuko pulled away. "...Altered...?" She blurted out, holding her head as she suddenly lurched forward, kneeling over. "...He did something to me... did something..." She muttered. "NO!" She exclaimed. "This is wrong- I was not designed to experience something like this... I don't know what to do any more..."

Shizuru watched with a mix of horror and concern. "Wait, what do you mean by 'designed'?" She asked in a confused voiced.

**.o.o.o.**

With little choice, the three Spirit Detectives had set out to rescue Shizuru from the Puppet Master. The three of them knew the dangers- they would likely be walking right into a trap. Unfortunately, they had little other choice at this point. After working out where their enemy was holed up, they set out after him. Still, Kuwabara knew that they would find both his sister and her captors... it wasn't arrogance- simply the young man's faith in his ability to seek out his sister through his powers. As they ran, he recalled what Hikari had told him...

"_Kuwabara, in your case- you only have to contend with the Puppet master and whatever 'followers' he happens to have with him."_ _Hikari had explained in a grave tone. "Since he was contracted the kill you- the other Disciples won't interfere in your fight one way or the other."_

Still, she had gone on to say that while the others wouldn't get involved in his battle- there was a good chance that both Yusuke and Kurama would be targets- especially after Kagamaru had failed to kill Yusuke and the fact that Shrapnel had essentially changed sides. According to her, they hadn't even met the true heavy-hitters of the group.

She had been especially insistent that they look out for the number two guy of the group- who she only knew as 'Gado'. Yusuke had gone on to ask her if he was truly as dangerous as she was making him to be... The sombre look she had given him was enough to quell any further uncertainty on the matter. To Kuwabara, it was almost as if a cold wind had passed between them after Yusuke had asked the question.

"_The Disciple are stronger than you can imagine- they are all hand picked for the group- and are all formidable fighters." She had explained. "Especially their leader, Gado... He is a horribly dangerous man."_

Just then, something struck the ground between- sending the three of them flying. The impact of the blast was like a mortar, yet it had glowed like a flare. The smoke around them slowly cleared as they got to there feet. The outline of a figure became clear in the dust.

A man stepped forward. He was dressed in a brown tasseled jacket along with dark blue jeans and cowboy boots, and had his brown hair pulled back into a braided ponytail. He flashed a toothy smile as he looked at them. "I am the acting leader of the Disciples, and from here on out- only Kuwabara may proceed." He announced calmly to the three of them.

Two other men were visible. One had long hair and was dressed in black leather and metal, like a punk rocker. The the other one had his face painted up like a skull and wore a top hat and cloak. Both of them simply smiled at the trio as their leader spoke. Yusuke looked at the tall man before him. "Like hell! We're not just sit back and do nothing!" He exclaimed in defiant tone.

Just as he spoke, he was struck by a blast of shimmering, multi-colored energy and fell back onto the ground with an audible thud. He looked up in time to see an attractive female demon with gray skin and long purple hair walk up and join the others. She was dressed in a skimpy outfit that showed of her figure. The luminous fabric of her costume shifting in the faint breeze as she looked at Yusuke with an intent gaze. "Sorry stud, but you're not anywhere." She cooed in a sultry voice as she held up her hand- the palm glowing with power.

A gunshot rang out across the area. Kurama staggered back as the shot grazed his arm back- covering the minor injury with his hand. A man (dressed like a cowboy) stepped out from under an old awning- his revolver already drawn and trained on the red-haired young man. "You heard the lady- don't try anything funny." Dalton warned, firing another shot- grazing Kurama's hand and causing him to drop the rose he was about to turn into a whip.

Dalton glanced down and shot the rose with his revolver, blasting it into pieces! At that same moment, Shimmer began walking towards Yusuke- her hands glowing with a strange radiant energy.

Gado held up his hand- to which Shimmer nodded and powered down her attack. The tall man suddenly vanished from their sights and reappeared beside Yusuke in a blur. Before the young man could react, the tall man struck him soundly in the gut- dropping him to his knees. Yusuke gasped, clutching his stomach as he fell forward. The other demons watched in amusement as he glanced down at Yusuke, before turning his gaze towards Kurama.

He leapt into the air and landed in front of redhead. He delivered a swift kick to the side of his head, dropping his with seemingly less effort then he has used to take out Yusuke. Gado glanced over at Kuwabara, giving him a dangerous looking smile. "You there- you'd better get going." He instructed. "...You wouldn't want to keep your dear sister waiting, now would you?" He asked coolly, resting his hands on his hips.

Kuwabara tensed as he looked around at the scene- both of his friends were hurt (probably unconscious by the look of it) and surrounded by the enemy... Still, as much as he hated to do it- he had no other choice but to go on alone and hope that the others would be alright. He swallowed hard and promptly bolted off down the dark street while Gado watched with an amused look on his face.

**(- End of Episode 09 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

I like the way the story is building. Still, in order to get it to the point that I wanted, it ended up being pretty long- over nine pages and just over 5500 words long. There's a lot of story to tell in just this one episode, but I have to keep the right pace, and that's the main reason why all these chapters have consistently been pretty long.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing. As usual, both reviews and criticism is welcome. Please let me know what you all think of this story. Thanks again,

-Bojack727


	10. Chapter 10: Once More Into the Breach

The last chapter covered a hell of a lot of information and storytelling so that this chapter would work better. I'm not sure if it's the dialogue heavy or the action heavy chapters that are harder to right. I suppose that it really depends on the overall story.

Chapter five was a lot of fun because I was finally able to write a proper emotional scene between Kuwabara and Yukina (my favorite couple from the series). Conversely, the second chapter had a really fun fight scene in it between Yusuke and Kagamaru. Another favorite moment for me was the emotional scene between Kurama and Hikari in chapter seven. It was a great joy to write something that I had in my mind for so long.

As for the time line, I've decided to update it and have Yusuke (as well of many of the others) be around my age. He was born in 1984, so he would have started working for Spirit world in 1998, so this fanfiction should take place around 2002.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 10: "Once more unto the Breach"**

**.o.o.o.**

Sensors had alerted the Puppet Master that someone was fast approaching his hideout. And of course, he knew that this person was in fact his target- the human spirit detective Kazuma Kuwabara.

He had done his homework- studiously pouring over the file he'd been given. And from this, he had created the perfect defense. Yes, he now felt supremely confident about the battle to come. Firstly, he had his own powers- and if that wasn't enough, there was also his dear Kugutsuko. Not to mention the other surprises that he'd arranged... and his bargaining chip. Yes, the Demon was confident that he held all the cards.

Unlike like him, Kuwabara had a weakness... one that he intended to exploit fully to his advantage. The weakness... was _sentimentalism_. What better way to destroy him then do so by using the very values his kind seemed to find so dear to do it?

The human would arrive soon- making a heroic yet futile attempt to try and save his beloved sister. But he would fail. How could he not? Especially when the odds were so strongly against him. Soon, Kuwabara would breach the front entrance... and then, when he ventured into his lair- the human's true battle would begin. What was one human against his awesome powers? He smiled inwardly, savoring the fact he had taken every aspect of the boys powers into consideration... There was no way for Kuwabara to win this fight- he'd made sure of this.

And at the center of his trap, he had placed the ultimate bait- and much like the ill-fated fly, Kuwbara would be loured into his web. "Hahaha... _come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly..."_ He mused out loud, taking a small remote out of his pocket and pressing a button on it. "And now my dear, the time has come for you shine." He remarked softly as a smile graced his features.

**.o.o.o.**

Kugutsuko suddenly snapped to attention and grabbed hold of Shizuru by the arm, dragging her out of the dark room and into the hall. All the while, the human continued to resist her, desperately trying to break loss from her vice-like grip on her. As she continued to struggle and fight against her capture, she recalled again what Kugutsuku had said... _Designed!_

"He did something to you- didn't he?!" Shizuru exclaimed while struggling against her vice-like grip. "That man you serve... he did something to you- what did he do to you?" She asked, noting the her captor's movements seemed to slow suddenly. The brown-haired woman glared at her shadowy captor. "You're not following his orders because you want to, your doing it because you have to... something he did to you forces you to obey him, right?!" She exclaimed.

Kugutsuko jerked her arm roughly and glared at her. "Do you have any idea what you are saying?!" She demanded. "Ever since I came near you... I've felt conflicted." She added as the young woman continued to listen to her. "Why do you continue to cause me to feel this way... why are you doing this to me... invading my mind with your powers!" She snapped. "What do you hope to achieve with this pointless struggle?" As she spoke, her tone wavered slightly.

Shizuru sighed and looked at her, resigning herself to her fate. "...As long as I'm alive, I'll keep fighting." She explained in a grave tone. "...it's not in my nature as a human to give up... I have free will, and that's what allows me to chose my own path and the actions I take." She continued, looking into the cloaked figure's dark eyes as they both stood in the darkened hall. "...And something tells me that deep down... you have free will too." She added simply.

Her captor seemed taken back by the assertion- Shizuru sensed confusion in her at the moment, though she was no longer sure if this was a good sign or not. She was starting to feel as if she'd stirred up a behive. "...'free will'?" She murmured, trying to make sense of the human's claim. "...the ability to choose for myself..." She added darkly, looking intently at the young woman, who she still had held in a firm grip- though was no longer struggling with her. "...and you say that I have this?"

She looked at the cloaked figure with an intense gaze. "Yes," Shizuru responded. "I don't know what that creep did to you... but... but free will is what makes us different from machines or animals." She told her. "It's the ability to decide for ourselves... what kind of person we want to be." She explained. "Don't you ever wonder if you could be something more?" Shizuru entreated her in an imploring tone. "I can feel the conflict... Is this really what you want?"

Kugutsuko felt a chill and stiffened in response. "...what I want?" She asked, her mind realing from the sudden notion. She knew that she'd come too far to just simply forget what had happened to her... by now, it was a moot point anyway. She was questioning the most basic principles given to her, an act that already showed she was tainted. Worse yet, part of her wanted to know more about these concepts that Shizuru spoke of...

If she did have some inalienable right- then she should be able to choose her own path. Yet... she also knew that even if she broke free of the Puppet Master's control, she had gone too far to just simply turn back. And even if she could, Kugutsuko doubted that she could face what she had become.

Eventually, she shook her head and looked back over at Shizuru. "You're right... I realize now that I want to be more than just a tool for that man." she confessed in a forlorn voice. "But that's not possible..." she added. "You see, I'm different from you... my nature makes it impossible to resist his control." She added grimly.

**.o.o.o.**

The large doors swung open and Kuwabara rushed into the darkness. Suddenly, the lights came on- forcing him to shield his eyes for a moment as he adjusted to intense glare of the lights above him. He heard a clapping sound and looked up. A tall slender man was standing on a large catwalk, resting against the railings and looking down at him.

The man straightened himself up and smiled down at him. "Welcome- you must be Kazuma Kuwabara?" He began coolly. "I've heard so much about you... and I must say that's its a great honor to finally meet you in person." He declared from his vantage point while the young man in question glared up at him angrily. "I assume you must be here for you dear sister?" He asked, his tone calm and collected.

Kuwabara stepped forward. "What have you done with her- where is she, dammit?!" He exclaimed, prompting the Puppet Master to shake his head disapprovingly. The man then jumped from the gantry and onto the floor below.

Kuwabara stepped back as the demon attempted to deliver a side hook kick- evading the thrust and snap back of his leg. He caught the demon's first punch- a straight jab with his left hand. He then blocked the next- a forward punch with his right hand. The orange-haired youth jumped back to avoid a powerful side kick from his attackers right leg.

Kuwabar caught his left arm (at the wrist) as he tried to punch him and then grabbed hold of his underarm with his free hand. He swept a foot back and flipped the Puppet Master over him and onto the ground. Kuwabara then went on the attack- lashing out at him with powerful punches and kicks. The demon managed to deflect them and eventually countered with an attack of his own- striking him square in the stomach. Kuwabara then kicked him in the chest- launching him back onto the ground.

He smiled confidently at the fallen demon. "You're gonna have to learn to hit harder then that if you wanna hurt me," Kuwabara exclaimed as he moved in on the Puppet Master. "After all, I've fought Urameshi- so your attacks are no big deal by comparison." He added just as the demon flipped back onto his his feet lunged forward with a punch. Kuwabara merely side-stepped him and promptly kicked him in the back- sending the Demon crashing to the floor.

The Puppet Master rose to his feet again and brushed himself off. "Well, I should have guessed as much," He remarked nonchalantly as he quickly smoothed out his shirt and fixed his hair. "It's just like your file said- a head-on battle is no good against you." He added before jumping back onto the catwalk. "Still, don't think that you've won just yet." He declared as Kugutsuko appeared at his side, holding Shizuru. He smiled brightly, first at the captive woman, and then down at Kuwabara. "Excellent, at last we have an audience to enjoy the show."

"Kazuma!" Shizuru cried out while still held back by Kugutsuko. Her words easily getting her younger brother's attention- he looked up at her. "You have to stop this guy- no matter what happens to me! You have to bring this guy down! Do you understand me?!" She exclaimed in a fiery tone that was all too familiar to the young man.

A chill struck Kuwabara and he turned around in time as a mechanical, spider-like creature shimmied down the wall behind him. It's head rose and it opened its mouth to fire an energy blast. The young man narrowly dove to the side as the head rotated to the side and fired again. This time, Kuwabara had to form his Spirit Sword to deflect the blast- sending it off to the side and leaving a singed hole in the nearby wall. The Puppet Master watched gleefully as the human struggled to fight the mechanized spider, while Shizuru felt a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach and Kugutsuko merely watched dispassionately.

With some effort, Kuwabara at last reached the mechanical spider and cleaved through it with his reiken- effectively carving it in half. Above, the Puppet Master nodded to Kugutsuko- who released Shizuru and jumped down onto the ground. The demon held up his hand and extended thread-like beams of energy around the human to restrain her. He then pulled Shizuru to his side and smiled down at the scene about to unfold. "Now my dear, join me and watch as my beauty destroys your brother." He declared.

"My Kugutsuko is the perfect fightr, the ultimate weapon... far beyond anything you could ever comprehend- and nothing can break through her conditioning." He paused, leaning in closer toward Shizuru. "Not even that impressive bit of meddling you tried earlier." She paled at his last remark, feeling sweat run down the side of her face as he held onto her.

**.o.o.o.**

Samedi slowly lowered his white-gloved hand- Yusuke and Kurama were now lying unconscious on the ground before him. "Well, that should keep these two out of commission for a while." He reported, turning to face Gado with a smile on his painted face as he brought up his long ornate cane to rest on on his shoulder. "Still, I don't see why we don't just kill these two right now..." He reasoned, shrugging his shoulders in the process.

"All in due time my friend," He replied, glancing over at the Voodoo lord. "Don't mistake my actions for a sign a weakness- I could easily have killed them both, with little effort... and I expect that this is something that they will realize after tonight." He explained as he walked over to where Yusuke now lay and gave him an experimental tap with the tip of his cowboy boot. "No, the real purpose of this was not to kill them, but rather to let them know just who they're dealing with." He added as he nudged Yusuke onto his back with his boot, in order to get a better look at him.

Shimmer was currently kneeling beside Kurama. She brushed away a stray lock of brilliant crimson hair and sighed. "My... such a pretty thing he is..." She mused in a soft tone, tracing her fingers across the soft skin of his cheek. She then slowly rose to her feet and walked over to Gado's side. She glanced down at at the dark-haired young man. "So this is really him," she began in a silky tone. "this is the legendary Yusuke Urameshi?"

Gado nodded sagely. "Yes... hard to believe isn't it?" He replied, narrowing his eyes as he looked down at him. "This is him alright... disciple of Genkai and wielder of the mighty Spirit Wave." He explained. "...The same child who defeated some of the greatest demons ever known, and the only living carrier of the late Lord Raizen's genetic inheritance." He explained to the demoness at length. He looked back down at Yusuke and sighed. "Still, I somehow expected him to be taller..."

**.o.o.o.**

The moment Kugutsuko jumped off the catwalk and onto the ground, Kuwabara dove back into a defensive stance. The vibes he was getting from this new opponent were much more dangerous then the previous one... Her eyes began to glow red as she jumped towards him. He landed to the right just as she punched through the wall. She then effortlessly removed her hand and turned around to face him. She began slowly advancing towards him.

He formed his Spirit Sword and charged her. The cloaked attacker merely held up her left hand and formed an energy field to deflect his attack while gathering energy into her other hand and striking him. Shizuru watched in horror as he was sent flying back. He skidded across the rough floor, stopping beside a large metal tank. He sat up, noting that the front of his jacket was singed and hanging open. The young man got to his feet and dusted himself off.

The mysterious fighter was fast proving to be too much for Kuwabara. The older sister continued watching the battle between them unfold. No matter what her brother tried, Kugutsuko seemed to be able to counter it with little trouble. She could generate energy barriers (with the left hand) to deflect his reiken attacks and then counter him by forming attacks (with the right hand) from the same energy source. The elder Kuwabara sibling began to feel a sense of dread that she had not experienced in a very long time. For the moment, Kuwabara could do little more then defend himself as his opponent continued to go on the attack.

"The spider was but a mere prelude to the main event!" The Puppet Master exclaimed. "I wonder how long you can last Kuwabara? How much longer can you survive this waltz of death?"

Soon, the fight moved from the front of the building towards the center. Kugutsuko glided across the floor- straight into Kuwabara and sent him flying into a stack of of old oil drums. The impact brought them crashing down around him, but he slowly rose up from the rubble and formed his spirit sword again. He ran towards her and took several swings at her- yet each time, she easily evaded each blow by weaving in and out... to the left and right.

The Puppet Master ran along the expanse of the catwalk- dragging Shizuru along in toe with him. He watched gleefully as the battle unfolded. At the rate things were going, the human would soon be overwhelmed by his servant. A broad smile graced his features as he looked down. "I think it's time to step this up a notch and move in for the kill!" He exclaimed, casting Shizuru aside- though still leaving her bound in the spirit threads- and began reciting an incantation. "Arise!" He cried out.

The Puppet Master pulled back his sleeves and briefly flexed his his hands and forearms- getting them nice and loose. With that out of the way, he focused his power- causing his hands to start to glow with a strange energy.

Another figure appeared behind Kuwabara. This one was covered in a ragged hooded cloak that didn't quite touch the ground as it levitated before him. A pair of red eyes glowed from within the shadows inside the hood and it raised up a tattered sleeve. A mechanized hand appeared- it opened up and fired off at him like a missile, striking him in the chest and knocking him to the ground. Kuwabara watched in amazement as the hand came loose from him and returned its owner- as if pulled back by an unseen force.

"_Why... why is this happening? What the hell is the point... what's it all for?" _Shizuru wondered silently as her eyes began to water...

"You've got to be kidding me..." Kuwabara groaned as got to he feet and looked around. The first figure appeared to be closing in on him while the second one seemed to be getting him in his sights. Kugutsuko vanished- but before Kuwbara could do anything, his other attacker launched his hand and forearm at him again, clipping him in the jaw and knocking him down once again. Kugutsuko appeared beside him and reached down. She lifted him up by the arm and threw him across the warehouse.

Shizuru watched the fight unfold. As it went on, she felt an unfamiliar sting in her eyes and realized that she on the verge of tears. She crawled to the edge and looked down in time to see the two fighters mopping the floor with Kuwabara. "Little bro...?" She murmured softly, her lip quivering slightly as she watched the battle unfold. All her life, she'd always been the hard-assed one who kept pushing him. But now, she was watching her brother getting hurt while knowing there was absolutely nothing she could do as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"_There must be more to life than this... There has to be more then just all this endless fighting and heartache." _Shizuru thought sadly. _"...My little brother is risking his life for me- he could die... and I'll be to blame..."_

It was horrible... she had a front row seat for the death of her brother. She knew that he was holding back on her account. It made her feel ill- knowing that her brother was fighting for her- just like the selfless hero she knew he was. The more she thought about, the worse she felt- how could she live with herself, knowing that Kazuma had died for her. Just then, an even worse realization struck her.

_...Yukina... _

The little Ice Maiden with brilliant crimson eyes and sea green hair... The girl that her brother had fallen head over heals in love with at first sight. The gentle pure-hearted girl who loved animals and tended diligently to Genkai's Garden. The girl whose form and spirit had enchanted her brother and driven him to risk everything for love. There was no doubt that Yukina and her brother loved each other very much.

She recalled all the time she'd pushed her brother to step up and do what had be done... Well, now it was time for her to step up and lead by exmpale and not just words. Shizuru had made up her mind...

_...No matter what it takes, Yukina won't have her heart broken again!_

Kuwabara could sense the bittersweet aspect in the air around him as he got to his feet. It was his sister's sadness... filling the air like perfume. However, he wasn't the only one... Kugutsuko paused, unsure about what to do. She'd felt it too... the sadness, the loss... somehow it all seemed so familiar to her. She wondered if she was starting to remember some part of her old self... before she was changed? She looked up to the catwalk, at the sight of the distraught young woman and the maniacal demon. "..._Is_ there something more?" She wondered silently.

A shiver ran through Shizuru... It was as if someone had walked over her grave. Except in this case- it was someone else's grave. Amidst the chaos, she'd sensed something... a name... "Emelia..." She spoke softly. "...my god... that's what he did to you?" She thought to herself.

"It's almost impossible to think about just how many lives he's ruined besides hers... How many other people has he used?" Shizuru thought as she turned to look at the Puppet Master, who was currently engrossed in controlling the other fighter. "It's all just some damn game for him... but it's our fucking lives he's playing with!" She thought angrily.

"I'm not going to be a plaything for him any more..." She silently told herself while the Puppet Master continued moving his hands about madly. "...Somehow, I'll make sure that you wont get away with this." She added. "...You're not going to leave this place alive!"

**.o.o.o.**

Gado stood on a rooftop- about a block from where the battle was raging. He was currently listening to the chaos unfolding inside. He smiled to himself- from the sound of thing, they were really raising hell in there! It sounded more like a damned war was going on inside- he wasn't sure if she should be amused or worried. At that moment, he sensed another presence and looked over his shoulder. A tall figure stepped out of the shadows and waved at him.

The man wore a heavy, gray, double-breasted trench coat. Underneath, his white shirt was visible, along with a dark pair of slacks and a red tie that hung loosely from around his collar. He had his hands tucked into his coat pockets as she shuffled towards the other man. A pair of oval glasses were perched on his slender nose- below his dark eyes. His hair appeared was unkempt- only brushed back to keep it out of his eyes and his face was unshaven. "You're playing a dangerous game, you know that?" He asked as he joined Gado at his side.

The other demon regarded him for a brief moment and shook his head. He quickly turned his attention back toward the building- just in time to hear another loud crashing noise. "You're one to talk," He replied wearily. "Grayson... where have you been all this time?" He asked him without making eye-contact, resting his hands on his hips.

Grayson brought a gloved hand and brushed his hair back. He chuckled faintly and looked up at the night sky. After a few secants, he looked back at Gado and grinned. "...Funny you should ask," He began. "...I got held up in Kyoto." He explained. "I'm honestly not too sure about the details... but I think it had something to do with couple of unexplained deaths..." He mused, tucking his hands back into his pockets. "...for some reason, the authorities thought I had something to do with them."

Grayson followed the other demon's line of sight to the building. He reached up and adjusted his glasses. "So... after all this time, we're really going through it then?" He calmly asked- receiving a nod from Gado. "What once seemed like little more then a dream is now reality... After all these years- our dream will soon become reality."

**.o.o.o.**

Kuwabara landed near another one of the large tanks. A fuel drum fell on it side and opened up- spilling out across the floor. Kuwabara looked at one of the large tank's gauge and noted that it there was still fuel in inside it. He rose to his feet just in time for the second fighter to launch his arm at him again. Kuwabara focused himself... and stepped to the side just as the arm flew past him. It lodged into the wall nearby. The second fighter struggled to reclaim it, trying to get it loose from the concrete surface.

"Damnit- stop screwing around!" Exclaimed the Puppet Master as he leaned out over the railing. The Second fighter nodded and glided towards Kuwabara. The young man reached down and picked up another drum and held in front of himself like a barrier- resulting in the attacker's fist becoming trapped in it when he tried to strike Kuwabara. The hand returned, but it was still stuck in the barrel. Kuwabara ducked off to the side as his attacker struggled to shake its arm free.

As the second struggled to get his remaining hand free, Kuwabara stepped back to the edge of the expanding puddle of fuel and formed his spirit sword. He swiped the spirit blade against the ground, igniting the fuel and setting off the large puddle that he his foe was now hovering over! Flames rose up around the second fighter- catching his cloak on fire as he slammed the barrel onto the ground,breaking it apart. The burning fighter raised his arm up and was about to fire on Kuwbara when a nearby tank exploded. The young man watched in amazement as the super-heated shock wave knocked the warrior to the ground and into the fire.

The hooded fighter let out something like a scream (or perhaps a howl) as his entire body became an inferno. Everyone watched as the fire continued to spread through the building, setting the whole place on fire in the process. Soon, the cloaked figure slumped down as its mechanisms burned away and its body rapidly became a smoldering heap. The orange-haired young man watched as the fires spread to the large fuel tanks that lined the walls on either side of the room. He ran for cover as the flames began heating the metal exteriors. Moments later, the tanks began exploding as the flames reached all the way to the roof of the building.

The entire building shook as the tanks continued exploding- each blast more intense than the last. At some point- during the chaos- all the windows shattered, sending smoke flooding out of the newly created orifices. The sky-lights in the ceiling quickly buckled from the heat and shattered- sending shards of glass down everywhere.

The Puppet Mast looked to his remaining fighter as the flames spread. "Look out, dammit!" He called out. Kugutsuko could only turn around and watch dumbly as the tank closest to her exploded in a ball of fire! Shizuru looked on in horror as she enveloped in a fiery blast as the whole building slowly burned all around them. Kuwabara got to his feet and made a run for a nearby ladder.

Something suddenly struck Kuwabara in the back- knocking him down onto his stomach. He cringed and looked over his shoulder. He turned around into a sitting position to see Kugutsuko standing before him. The heavy black coat was now badly burned and torn in several placed.

She reached over and tore away the remains of her right sleeve- revealing a sophisticated blaster on her arm. She flexed her fingers and reached up with both hands- first terring open her high collar and the ripping the front of her coat open- sending fabric and buttons flying in the process. She then ripping off her right sleeve. At last, Kugutsuko tore off and discarded the remains of the coat, revealing herself...

The overall shape was clearly female, with curves and long slender arms and legs. However, the entire body was made up a sleek metal-like substance with the arms and legs sporting lines running along them where the segments linked up, as well as various hatches. The hands and feet were stunningly detailed and linked to the limbs by rounded joints. The torso was in fact composed of multiple sections, with the legs linking into the lower pelvis-like segment. The rounded middle section linked up into the upper chest-like segment of the torso (complete with breasts), where the arms linked up to shoulder though similar rounded joints. Her neck was sleek and and slender and the face was surprisingly human.

She began advancing toward him, allowing him to make out the details of her face. The lower half was composed of a malleable metallic substance that was flexible enough to let her mouth move. A pair of red humanoid eyes (with black pupils) gazed out from the more solid upper half of the face amidst locks of black hair. Her dark metal eyebrows arched as she looked at him.

Kuwabara honestly didn't know what to do... He was trapped in a building where virtually everything was flammable... Fire burned all around them and the building was literally falling apart before his eyes. He glanced up and noted that the fire was fast spreading up the walls. Once the ceiling caught fire, things would get really bad!

"_...I wonder if this is what Virgil was thinking of when he wrote the Divine Comedy?" _

**(- End of Episode 10 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

This wasn't the original ending I had planned. However, as the chapter developed, it got longer and longer... till it ended up being over twelve pages and several thousand words long. So, I ended up having to split it in half. This is also unusual because I didn't have to go out of my way to for a cliff-hanger... There was a perfect stopping point already in the chapter.

Because the confrontation between Kuwabara and the Puppet Master (and his henchmen) ended up being so long and complex- there's still a hell of a lot to cover in the next chapter. And of course, Shizuru's arc also has to be resolved as well, so theres a lot to come in the next chapter.

Later,

-Bojack727


	11. Chapter 11: Eulogy of the Innocent

This chapter is pretty unusual for a number of reasons. First, I quickly realized that the previous chapter would end up being _WAY TOO_ long. The first 4000 words of this chapter are basically the second half of chapter 10. I did this when the total length passed 7000 words. As a result, I decided to split it in half.

It was just a case of the difference between animation and writing. In my mind, it played out a single episode, but when it came to the writing- it ended up much longer then I planned. I'm not really bothered by this... just sort of at a loss. This particular arc would have worked well as a long one-off, but not as a chapter in an ongoing storyline.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 11: "Eulogy of the Innocent"**

**.o.o.o.**

Kuwabara looked up and watched as the flames rose up towards the ceiling. Soon, the whole place would become a raging inferno... And he'd be be trapped in the heart of it.

He thought silently to himself. _"...I wonder if this what Virgil was thinking about when he wrote the Divine Comedy?"_

Kuwabara turned back to face his assailant- meeting her piercing gaze with his own. He formed his spirit sword once again and charged Kugutsuko. The 'puppet' merely help up her left hand and formed an energy shield to deflect his attack. She then retaliated by firing at him with the weapon that appeared to be part of her other arm. Kuwabara ducked down as the shot passed over him. He then rose to his feet and lashed out at her again.

This time, she jumped back and held out her left arm. The outer paneling covering her forearm opened up like the petals of a flower and began gathering energy. Her hand went rigid and a massive energy blast came forth from it and hit Kuwbara head on! He crashed against the wall and slid back down. His arms were crossed defensively in front of his face- the lower halves of his jacket sleeves were almost completely burned away, as well as his the skin on his arms being singed.

"What the hell was that?!" The young man exclaimed as he rose to his feet (bracing himself against the wall). His hands and forearms still felt numb from the attack.

Kugutsuko held her right hand out, palm upward. Hatches opened up in her forearm as she channeled energy into a small glowing red orb- about the size of a cricket ball. She looked at him and hurled the energy straight at him. Kuwbara dove out of the way just in time as the section of wall where he'd just been was blown away by the attack.

Kugutsuko suddenly vanished... only to reappear in front of him. The doll-like being struck him in the solar plexus with a palm strike and launched him several feet onto his back. As he struggled to his feet, she landed in front of him, where she delivered a swinging kick to his right side that knocked him to the ground. Kuwabara clutched his side as he scooted back from her.

Shizuru struggled to her feet. "You don't have to do this!" She cried out, prompting the Puppet Master to turn around- a puzzled look on his face as she continued. "I know what he did to you... I know that you weren't always like this!" She exclaimed as fresh tears started to form. Kugutsuko stopped abruptly and Kuwabara turned to look up at his sister.

"I understand that he did something horrible to you... he sealed away everything that ever made you special and turned you into what you are now!" She continued in an forlorn voice as tears streamed down her face. "Still... despite what he did to you... despite everything that's happened- I don't blame you..." She managed to continue. "...It's not your fault! He may have turned you into what you are now... but I know that _you're_ still there... _you_ have the power to chose for yourself- no matter what he says, _Emelia!_"

Shizuru turned to her brother. "Kazuma... this whole mess is my fault- you're here fighting for your life now because I'm such a weakling..." She added. "...I know that I haven't been much of sister to you... and I'm so sorry." She paused, struggling with her emotions. "Also... I realize that I have no right to ask for anything, but in spite of that- please promise me something..." She continued. "No matter what happens to me... please save her... save Emelia!" She added, falling down to her knees and sobbing.

For as far back as Kuwabara could remember, she'd always seemed so harsh and cold to him. Still, he also knew that she was human- she'd cried when their dad died... almost more then he had. Then of course, she had belittled and insulted him on countless occasion, all the while maintaining an air of disinterest. Yet the more he thought about it, the more he realized that in her own way- she'd been toughening him up to prepare him for the harsh reality of life. _"...Big Sis...."_ He murmured softly.

The Puppet Master watched the entire time- seemingly enthralled by the exchange. He advanced towards Shizuru, stopping just a few feet from where she was kneeling. He rested his hand on the railing and smiled, the flames casting an eerie glow around him. "Amazing," The Demon began as he looked down at the girl. "You're just like your brother in every way, did you know that?" He added, turning to look down at Kuwabara.

"Your file warned me about this... but it never mentioned that pointless sentimentalism was a family trait." He mused calmly. "Still, I really shouldn't be too surprised to hear the same load of bleeding-heart twaddle from her... She is your sister after all, so it shouldn't be surprising that you both share such simplistic ideals." He added, casting a glance down at Shizuru as he turned to face her.

"Did you honestly think that you could turn my own creation against me?" He looked down and narrowed his eyes. "I built her!"

"...Perhaps you somehow thought that your meager powers were enough to influence her?" He continued in a mocking tone. "Let me explain something to you... That _thing_ that you're talking about is an _instrument_- a tool that I designed to perform tasks." The Demon explained, cupping her chin and turning her face to the side. "You think you know what she is, don't you? ...Well, I'm sorry, but the truth is much more complex then you realize." He added, stepping back and gesturing to himself. "Mind you, it was no small feat- creating the most complex mechanized fighter in all of the three worlds." He added in a grandiose tone.

The so-called "instrument" looked down at her hands, as if seeing them for the first time. Her red eyes narrowed as she opened and closed her hands. She looked up at Shizuru as she cried- somehow, the sight caused a sensation to run through her. She opened her lips as if to speak, but then looked away- casting her eyes downward.

"...That was my name." She thought silently to herself. "...I used to be called Emelia... before he did this to me... now I'm just his puppet." She thought bitterly.

The demon continued his ranting. "Kugutsuko is the result of years of work. The systems alone are decades ahead of their time!" He continued in an almost frantic tone. "The body was built to perfectly reproduce every single function of a humanoid body. I custom built every component that went into her and specially designed weaponry just for her!" He continued. "And of course, as you can see- not only is she a stunning example of technical innovation... she's a work of art!"

He paused. "Still... power was the problem. There simply wasn't a power source capable of making her work..." He reached over and lifted Shizuru up to her feet by the arm. "After years of study, I discovers a way of bypassing the countless limitations of conventional mechanical fighters." He explained. "As simple machines, they lacked both an essential life force and the cunning of a living being... So the next step was finding a suitable 'donor' who was strong enough to power the doll." He added with a smile.

"It wasn't easy finding a suitable source- I had to endure a number of rather messy setbacks." He explained graphically. "When I finally secured an ideal subject, I was able to successfully extract an exceptionally powerful soul- which I adapted it into the body's system. And as you can see- the trapped soul not only acts as a virtually limitless supply of power... it also supplements any deficiencies within the neural network."

He then let go of Shizuru and stepped back from her. "So you see... no matter how hard you try, you won't get through to her." He explained in a low tone. "And I'll tell you why... there's nothing left of her in there!" He added. "I not only confined and integrated the soul into the machinery- I also purged all the tiresome little things that would of held her back... like conscience and free will." He added, his tone dark.

Shizuru watched as the Puppet Master continued. "I built her to be my ultimate weapon- a tool that kills without hesitation or remorse." He added. "She doesn't kill for me because I'm forcing her- she does it because it's all she knows... and if you ask me, I think she's grown to like it."

The being in question remained silent for a moment. Kugutsuko then looked over at Kuwabara and shook her head slowly. "...He's wrong- I don't enjoy hurting and killing others." She spoke in a slightly distorted female voice. "I don't even really know what it means to 'enjoy' something anymore..." She added. "But I realize one thing now... I hate him."

"What on Earth?!" The Puppet Master exclaimed. When she'd spoken, she'd openly defied him. It was brief, but the significance of the gesture troubled him. He looked at Shizuru, feeling a sudden chill. "No... it can't be... it's just not possible that she could actually affect her like that... And yet..." He stopped, unwilling to consider the possible implications.

He turned back to Kugutsuko. "Enough of this- I'm ordering you to destroy him!" Puppet Master exclaimed. "No more delays- finish him off!" He ordered.

The young man began backing away from the puppet. "You heard all he said, didn't you?" He asked her as he continued backing up. "I know now... _the truth_... about what happened to you." He added. "It doesn't have to be like this... we don't have to fight!" He exclaimed, bumping into a pipe that ran up along the wall.

Kuwabara looked at her as she closed in on him and noted the hopeless expression in on her face. "It must horrible- being trapped like that?" He commented, shaking his head as she drew closer. "So... that's how it has to be?" A small smile graced his lips as he felt a grim sense of finality.

He sighed. "...I guess you really don't dream about anything anymore... I'm so sorry."

She continued advancing towards him and he stepped back. "...I hate him for what he's made me do... almost as much as I hate myself." She added. "But in the end... I'm just not strong enough to resist him- the conditioning is just too powerful. So, in the end... I really am just his weapon after all." She said, her voice trembling as she spoke. She readied herself and lunged at him.

The young man stepped out of the way at the last moment and the Puppet punched a hole in a steam pipe. This resulted in a jet of super-heated steam blasting her in the face- her black hair fluttering as the steam hit her. Seeing that she'd been momentarily staggered by this, Kuwabara tackled her to the ground and punched her in the face.

While the blow did knock her head to the side- his hand merely slid across her smooth cheek upon impact. He reached down and grabbed hold of her by the head and then smashed it back down. The floor underneath buckled and fractured from the impact- yet nothing fazed her. He paused suddenly- caught off guard by the image of her glassy red eyes staring up at him dispassionately. In that moment, she reached up and took hold of him- throwing him off of her.

He got to his feet and watched as she rose up to her feet. "Nothing... she feels nothing." He thought as she lashed out him, striking him down again. He managed to get to his feet once again as she stood before him- only a few meters distance between them. He had to come up with something fast because his current tactics just weren't cutting it. It was at that moment, that he got an idea. He picked up a fairly heavy fuel drum and threw it at her- which she caught with little effort.

He cast out his arm and fired his spirit shurikens at her- causing the drum in her hands to explode in a spray of fire and charred metal!

Kugutsuko was staggered by the blast... She ended up with her back against one of giant fuel tanks, it was hull had been punctured and it was now leaking. She looked up at him... her entire body was scratched and cracked, and some of her circuitry was now partly exposed. She held up her right arm to fire, but damage to the blaster caused it to malfunction... A mechanism overheated and it exploded, taking most of her arm off in the process!

Kuwabara stepped back as the bits of her arm hit the floor. He paused and covered his mouth at what happened next... When her arm exploded, she glanced down at the remains, as if is in a state of shock. Her lip started to tremble slightly as the watched the exposed circuits of the damaged limb spark and crackle. Then... she screamed- an all too human mix of anger, fear, and sadness in her cries. The damaged tank she was up against exploded- engulfing her in a huge fireball.

"...how horrible." Kuwabara muttered, before being staggered by the warm blast. He turned around and looked up at the Puppet Master and narrowed his eyes. He quickly made his way towards a nearby latter as the roof finally went up in flames. Ash and burning rubble started falling down around him as he ran. He stopped and pulled off his jacket to frantically beat away the flames surrounding the base of the latter.

He gripped the rungs and started climbing up the latter. The wall was now burning around him, and the flames were making the metal hot to the touch. He cringed as he moved- the rungs burning his hands as he ascended the latter to the upper levels.

**.o.o.o.**

The Puppet Master grabbed hold of Shizuru and twisted her arm behind her back as Kuwabara climbed up onto the catwalk.

He held on to her tightly as the building continued to burn. "Get back, damn you!" He exclaimed- halting the young man's advance. "You fool, you unthinking primitive! You've ruined everything- Years of work destroyed in the blink of an eye!" He declared, moving back with the struggling woman in hand. He twisted her arm and held her in front of him like a shield. "You'll pay for what you've done!"

The young man hesitated- even as their surroundings transformed into a raging inferno. Then, at that moment, he met his sisters gaze. Shizuru looked at him with a serious expression and nodded. "It's time for you to man up and do what needs to be done..." She explained to him a calm voice. "No matter what the cost, you have to kill this guy for what he's done... Not just to us, but for _her_ as well."

The implication of her words donned on him, causing him to turn pale in the process. There was a way to get at the Puppet Master... It was fool-proof and demon would never expect it... _through his sister!_

"You can't be serious!" Kuwabara cried out. "After all this- after everything we've been through... how can you expect me to do that?!" His older sister closed her eyes and focused her thoughts...

"_You and I both know this is the only way to end this... he has to be stopped. I finally understand now... I- I have faith in you... No matter what happens... you're my little brother and I'll always love you."_

Kuwbara watched as tears ran down his older sister's face. He wanted to cry, but kept up a brave face for her. He was out of options now, and if he didn't act fast- they'd both be killed by the fire. Still, like she said... he owed it to a lot of people to make sure that the Demon didn't get away with what he had done.

It was at that moment that he realized that he was going to have to do the hardest thing he'd ever had to do in his whole life... he was going to take his sister's life to kill the enemy... He nodded and looked up at her. _"I'm so sorry Shizuru... just... well, I love you too, sis." _He thought, causing her to nod and smile back sadly.

He then looked at the man holding her and narrowed his eyes. "I realized a long time ago that it's not _what_ we are, but _who_ we are..." He spoke in a dark tone. "I've learned that Humans can be evil... but I also know that demons can be good." Kuwabara then focused his spirit energy and manifested his spirit sword once more.

The demon had enough experience to know the look in the human's eyes was for real- he could see the killer instinct in his eyes and in his body language. Kuwabara stepped forward. "...Monsters like you shouldn't even exist!" He exclaimed as he raised his sword. "All you've done is ruin peoples lives for your own gain..."

The demon grinned at the accusation. "One man's sinner is another man's saint." The Puppet Master replied. He glanced down briefly and saw something amidst the flames. He quickly looked back up at Kuwabara. "...Everyone's a critic, but I won't be denied recognition." He replied smugly.

"And as far as you're concerned- I'm not scared by your tough guy act!" He declared confidently. "I know your kind well enough... you don't have it in you!" He added in a mocking tone. He wrapped threads of spirit energy around Shizuru's neck and tugged at them. She gasped for air as the strands constricted around her neck.

Kuwabara heard something behind him and turned around to see Kugutsuko pull herself up onto the catwalk. She landed on her knees, but got back onto her feet. She was pretty heavily damaged from the look of things- cracks and gashes covered her body and her insides were visible in places. Half of her right arm was gone, a large crack ran across her chest- partially revealing a small round object that glowed a faint red color. There also seemed to be damage to her left knee and leg, so her stance was off as well. Her hair was singed and a gash ran down across her left eye, leaving only the ruined remains.

She took few labored steps towards Kuwabara as he turned around to face the Puppet Master and Shizuru. The tall demon pulled tighter on the threads wrapped around her throat. "It was a good try kid, but I'm afraid you're not going to get your storybook ending after all." Kugutsuko began advancing towards Kuwabara...

Shizuru looked at her brother and nodded. "_Do it now!"_

The words echoed in his mind. He steadied himself and struggled to clear his thoughts. In his heart of hearts, he knew what had to be done- to stop this man, he would have to kill his own sister... He doubted if he could live with it, but he also knew that he no longer had any choice. Finally, he looked up at the demon and narrowed his eyes. He powered up his spirit sword- which had begun to pulsate and glow white- and charged toward him...

...Fore a split second, time seemed to stand still. Kuwabara had charged forward, both his and his sister's eyes tearing up as they resigned themselves to what had to be done, and thrust his spirit sword forward. The Puppet Master had not accounted for this!

After what felt like eternity, Kuwabara opened his eyes and looked up on in shock at the sight before him. His spirit sword- now resembling a longsword and glowing white- had passed through his sister and struck the Demon.

However, even more shocking was that Shizuru appeared to be completely unharmed... Somehow the blade had harmlessly passed through her and into the Puppet Master. For the demon however, the result was far more dire. The blade had gone right through her chest and pierced him through the base of his neck!

Kuwabara leapt forward and caught his sister as she fell out of the Demon's grip. The Puppet Master frantically clutched his throat- dark blood pouring out of his mouth and from the wound. He frantically staggered past the two of them, over to Kugutsuko. "K-Kugutsuko! Quickly, y-you stupid m-machine! Kill both of them now!!!" He exclaimed as blood ran from his mouth.

She formed the ball of energy in her left hand- but then grabbed hold of the demon by the shoulder and struck him in the midsection with it- blasting a whole through him. She looked down at him, their eyes meeting for a moment... He slumped down onto his knees.

"No, my name... is Emelia." she replied, her voice damaged and distorted. The final act of defiance now finished, the Puppet Master became slack and collapsed- dead in a large pool of his own dark red blood. She looked over at Kuwabara and Shizuru as the roof began caving in.

She focused her gaze on the young man. "Kazuma... you asked if I ever dreamed anymore?" she began in a soft tone as she looked at her blood-stained hand. "The truth is... I've dreamed about something for a long time now..."

She paused as her good eye flickered out. "...I dreamed... of freedom." She said before she staggered and fell backward onto the steel walkway. A section of the roof crashed down on her- plunging through the walkway in the process.

Shizuru broke into tears as her brother dragged her away. The entire building was falling apart around them and they didn't have much time to get out before the entire place went up in flames.

As the two of them neared the door, Shizuru saw something shiny lying on the ground. She broke loose from her brother and rushed over to pick up the small red orb just before a section of the wall fell down in front of her. Kuwabara took her by the wrist and ran for the door. The two of them narrowly escaping through the doorway- diving to the ground as fire shot out of the door and the remains of the building caved in on itself amidst the fire and flames.

**.o.o.o.**

The brother and sister sat on the curb, watching as the building transformed into a blazing inferno across the street.

Kuwabara sat with his legs sticking forward- bent slightly at the knees- and his arms resting on his lap. His white t-shirt was singed in several places and his arms and face were sooty and the palms of his hands were red and burned. His pants were singed as well, and his shoes were scuffed and blackened.

He sighed and looked up at the night sky for a moment, taking note of the various stars. "The caged bird sings because it dreams of freedom..." He mused quietly.

Shizuru looked over at her brother for a moment and then back down at herself. She glanced down at her coat and frowned at how badly charred and blackened it was. She slipped it it off and dropped it onto the pavement beside her.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her pack of cigarettes. She paused and stared at it intensely for a moment before getting to her feet and hurling the pack into the fire. She sat back down and looked over at her brother. "You know, I don't think I'll be able to enjoy those things anymore after all this." She offered in a dull voice.

Kuwabara turned around and looked over at her, noting how her hands and face were all sooty. The fringe of her skirt was burned and her leggings were torn in several places. He watched as she took a round object about the size of baseball with a glassy surface that picked up the flickering light from the nearby fire. "Is that... her?" He asked, scooting over to get a better look at it.

She nodded as he leaned in to get a better view. "Yeah, it's her... _it's Emelia_." She replied gently as he pulled back and sat down right next to her. "Somehow... I just couldn't let it be destroyed in the fire." She explained. She exhaled noisily. "Oh man... I have no idea what the hell to do with this thing... maybe Botan or Genkai or someone in spirit world might know something." She admitted, turning to him and giving a goofy smile.

He nodded and glanced off to the side for a moment, before turned to face her. "Hey Shizuru," He began in fairly serious tone. "Back there... when I was fighting those guys..." He began, crossing his legs. "...I felt it, all your feelings- the fear and the heartache and the sadness. I know you were suffering the whole time." He explained. "I want you to know that this wasn't your fault- I don't blame you." He added. "So... quite beating yourself up over what happened."

She sighed and got to her feet. "I'm the older sibling- I'm supposed to be the dependable one... the one you can rely on." She remarked bitterly, turning to face him. "But instead, I end up getting kidnapped and you have come rescue me." She paused for as he got to his feet. She smiled at him, blushing faintly. "Kazuma... I just want to say that you're an amazing brother... and I love you." She added, her blush darkening as she said the last part.

Kuwabara was quiet for a moment as Shizuru stood before him. "There was never any question about it- you're my sister and I'll always be there when you need me." He explained, placing a hand on shoulder. "Back inside there- you were a hell of a lot braver then you think... When I felt like I was about to falter, it was your conviction that kept me fighting."

He stepped back and brushed a hand through his hair and smiled. "And as for being my sister- you're great... and well, I love you too, sis." He admitted, looking off to the side as he blushed.

Her blush darkened at the comment. She looked at the red orb in her hand for a moment and then tucked it into her skirt pocket. She was silent for a moment. "Kuzuma, there is one thing I'm still confused about." She began. "Back there, when you stabbed the Puppet Master with your spirit sword... well, it should have killed both of us- yet I'm completely unharmed... How did you do that?"

He rubbed the side of his head. "That's the odd thing about it, I don't really understand it either." He began. "...You told me that he had to die, no matter what. I didn't want to even consider killing you as well... but there finally came a point where the situation was so drastic that I had no choice." He explained. "...It didn't occur to me then, even as it happened... but it was almost like my spirit spirit sword reacted to the situation and somehow changed it's nature."

She looked at him for a moment, then nodded sympathetically. "Even though my powers aren't anywhere near as strong as yours... I was able to sense what you were going through." She replied. "...So in a way, I sort of know what you were going through. Somehow the emotional strain must have pushed your spirit energy to take on a new form... one that would only harm someone evil."

"You mean something a _'Holy Sword'_?" Kuwabara asked in astonishment.

Shizuru nodded. "Well, that's just my theory..." She replied with a smile. The strain of the ordeal was catching up her and she felt exhausted. "Anyway, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get the hell out of here."

He nodded. "Sounds good to me." He replied as they started heading out. As the two of them were walking back down along the street, Kuwabara looked up at the changing skyline as it slowly grew lighter. "Wow," He mused, tucking his hands into his pockets as they walked along. "Hard to believe it, but it's a new day..."

**(- End of Episode 11 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

As I previously mention, this chapter was essentially the second half of the previous chapter, making the overall length over 10,000 words and 17 pages long. There was a hell of lot of storytelling in just this one story arc.

The irony of all this was that it all grew out of the fact that I decided to give the Puppet Master an assistant to add a greater element of danger to him. When I began writing the chapters covering Kuwabara's clash with the Puppet Master, I realized that there wasn't really anything in it that would allow for scene variation. When it comes to storytelling, I like to have an 'A' and 'B' plot to prevent scenes from dragging on. This resulted in the side story between Shizuru and Kugutsuko... which ironically something of became a story in it's own right.

In the end, what had started out a straight forward fight between Kuwabara and the Puppet Master ended up turning into an extremely complex character-driven story revolving around the four principle players. I don't regret it though- in fact, I think it's some of my best writing. Anyway, thanks for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it.

-Bojack727


	12. Chapter 12: A Change of Fate

After the exhausting events of the previous couple of chapters, I figured a change of pace was important. It was almost as much of an ordeal for me (writing the chapters) as it was for Kuwabara and Shizuru (who were experiencing them).

The next major storyline will be starting up soon. I'm certainly looking forward to it, because it's something I've been planning for a while now. I plotted the overall story out in such a way that there are still a good number of major plot points left to cover. I felt it was important to go into this with an idea of where it was ultimately going. I went to a good deal of trouble to make sure that this story doesn't get stale.

So with all that in mind, I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter... It was certainly an interesting one for me to write.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 12: "A Change of Fate"**

**.o.o.o.**

Botan stood calmly before Koenma's desk as the young prince of Spirit World watched various footage playing on his large view screen. Koenma gave a pensive look as he paused the video and rotated around in his large office chair to face her. The Grim Reaper Girl, now dressed in her formal pink kimono, regarded him as he mulled over the information. Koenma no longer resembled a toddler- he spent all his time in his adult form.

"I have to say that the presence of these _Disciples of Darkness_ is very troubling." He began, leaning back in his chair. "According to your reports, they don't seem to have any clear motive... yet, they continue to go out of their way to attack and harass you, correct?" He asked in his usual even tone, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he spoke.

The blue-haired girl nodded. "Yes Lord Koenma," She replied. "So far, they haven't done anything that could give us any idea of what they're up to." She continued. "As of yet, they've appeared on only a handful of occasions... and each time, they're numbers have varied." Botan explained. "The first time, we only encountered one- and he was only after Yusuke. However, it was during the hospital attack they showed up in force..."

Koenma nodded. "Yes, I read about that in your report... and I'm sorry that you ended up being put in such danger." He offered apologetically. "You've been a great help to us recently Botan... and your services to Spirit World have not gone unnoticed."

Botan merely nodded, blushing faintly from the praise. "Thank you, my Lord." She replied demurely. "...You honor me."

"Not at all," Koenma replied smoothly. "As for the matter of attack on the hospital- you said it was around this time that the three of you began noticing a pattern in some of the attacks?" He asked, getting a nod from the ferry girl. "The first attacker, 'Kagamaru'- he attacked only Yusuke... and came alone." He pointed out. "Yet, when they came after you again, there were at least four of them- the two that came after you, the one who came after Yusuke, and the one who Kurama went after."

"That's correct sir," Botan replied. "I think they decided to move in greater numbers after Yusuke and Kuwabara defeated the first one." She reasoned. "...You see, after that- they became much more strategic and calculating. The two who confronted Kuwabara and myself openly stated that they were only there to prevent us from helping Yusuke while he was injured." She added. "Luckily, Master Genkai defeated the one who tried to kill him."

The young prince nodded. "Aw yes- you've just brought up an interesting point." Koenma pointed out. "The one that tried to kill Yusuke wasn't actually killed by Genkai... but was in fact killed by one of his own." The prince remarked. "This tells us that we are dealing with enemies who are both powerful and have secrets... secrets that they are willing to protect by any means necessary." He reasoned, touching his fingertips together. "Now... you say there were supposedly thirteen of them at one point, right?"

Again, she nodded. "Yes, according to Hikari's testimony, there were thirteen of them- apparently it was some sort of gimmick they used early on." She explained. "...She told us that their actual leader left the city some time ago... and that his second in command is in charge. This man, known only as 'Gado' is currently acting as the leader..." She paused. "...we've confirmed that five of them have been terminated."

The Prince nodded knowingly. "If we go by that logic, then there should only be... six of them currently active within the city- not counting our new 'ally', _Miss Blackwell_." Koenma offered. "That is... if we can really trust her." He added.

Botan paused at the last remark. "...If I may- Hikari has shown no desire to rejoin them... she's willingly provided us with information." She explained. "She also seemed genuinely terrified of how strong this Gado is. She claimed he was the strongest of the group... and so far, what little contact the boys have had with him indicates that he's just toying with us."

"While I hope for the best, I always prepare for the worst." Koenma continued. "Still, we can at least trust her fear." He reasoned, turning to the side and exhaling audibly. "...A reputation that strikes fear at the very mention of his name... and yet he's not even the actual leader." He mused. "I don't like this... it's far too cloak and dagger for my tastes." He turned around and stood up. "...For the moment, I don't want any of you taking any risks with these people- it's simply too dangerous."

Botan nodded in understanding. "Of course sir- though I doubt we're in any condition to go on the attack." She added in a grave tone. "Still, what can we do in the mean time?" She asked.

"What else?" Koenma asked rhetorically. "We wait. We bide our time for the moment till we can act from a position of strength." He continued. "I seriously doubt that there will only be six of them for long... it's more likely that they have more forces in waiting... I think I'm going to have to take measures to ensure that we have some allies of our own."

**.o.o.o.**

By the time Kuwabara and Shizuru came upon Yusuke and Kurama- their attackers had long since departed. Exhausted, the four headed straight back to Genkai's compound- where they began explaining what had happened... as well as the various surprising developments along the way. Shizuru had quickly fallen asleep, leaving her brother to explain the details- including the strange orb that she had rescued and the change in the nature of his Spirit Sword.

It was about ten in the morning. Kuwabara sat on a bench in the courtyard, watching as the branches rustles in a nearby tree- causing the blessed wind chimes to clatter musically in the breeze. He opened the can of orange juice, noting the bandages on his hands, and took a drink. Aside from his sister, who was still asleep, he didn't really know where the others were.

He sighed and turned in time to spot Yukina standing at his side. She was dressed in a light red yukata with light floral embroidery on it. She had on a dark red obi (the color of wine) that was tied in the back, along with her usual sandals and tabi socks.

She smiled at him and took a seat beside him- her small delicate frame in stark contrast with his tall broad figure. She placed her hands neatly in her lap while her sandals dangled from her feet. Kazuma had realized that one of the (many) thing about her that appealed to him was that she was so much like a proper maiden from classical literature. Her name seemed so fitting... She was so beautiful- yet small and delicate, like a snowflake. Along with her elegance, she was gentle and pure- like a princess.

Her hair long aqua-marine hair hung freely down her back. "I'm not sure if this is a good color for me or not." She began, attempting to make small talk. Her pale cheeks flushed faintly. "...I want you to be honest Kazuma- how do you think it looks?" She asked, gazing up at him.

Kuwabara smiled and set the canned drink down. Yukina had been the one who had tended to the burns on his hands- they were mild- but she had been so concerned. She'd dutifully cleaned them and promptly bandaged them. "That's not a fair question to ask me," He began in a soft tone. "And besides, you already know what I'm going to say." He added, glancing down and looking into her soulful crimson eyes.

She was slightly crestfallen at that remark. Compliments were nice, but special effort needed special praise... She wanted to look nice for him- to prove that their relationship wasn't one-sided and that she wanted to be with him. This was a heartfelt gesture on her part of be more feminine for him. Despite her nature as an ice demon, she wanted to be 'a proper mate'... _so to speak_. She wanted to make clear that their relationship was mutual.

She blushed faintly when he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "It looks great on you- and I mean it." He began. "Of course, to me- you're such a beautiful girl already... So whatever you wear can never truly do you justice." He finished softly. The Ice Maiden's eyes widened and her blush darkened. As always- Kazuma knew just the right words to make her heart flutter.

She closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly as he leaned in and kissed her. The Ice Maiden felt herself becoming soothing warm from the sensation of their contact. After several secants, he pulled back breathlessly and looked at her. He rubbed her cheek softly and kissed her on the forehead.

Kuwabara stood up, offering his hand to her as she got to her feet. The two of them headed back inside and came into a room where Kurama was sitting around a small table, seated on a throw-cushion. Kuwabara paused, noting that he was hold a shining red orb (the same one that had been 'part' of Emelia) aloft in his hand. Kurama glanced up at them and smiled as they entered. He gestured for them to sit down as well.

"It's amazing, I've never seen anything like this before... Sad to think that something so exquisitely beautiful could be used for such great evil." The redhead spoke as he watch it catch the light. The glass-like surface reflected the light in the room perfectly, like a mirror. "And you say this was part of the _puppet_ that he had?" He asked him calmly as they sat down nearby, he placed the orb back into a small cushioned box.

Kuwabara and Yukina sat down on nearby cushions. "It wasn't just another part of her," Kuwbara replied, crossing his legs as he reached over and picked up the orb- it was hard and sleek to the touch, with a blood red color, like a garnet stone. "That's her core- it's what powered her and made her unique... it_ is _'Emelia'." He added, unsure as to how else he could phrase it. "It's her, her soul... he trapped it in that thing." Kuwabara explained as he looked down at it. "He did so many evil things... he had to be stopped."

Kurama nodded sympathetically. "I can't even begin to imagine what the two of you must have gone through during that fight." He commented. "For someone with such strong spiritual awareness... I imagine the emotional turmoil must have been hard on you?"

Kuwabara nodded. "It was horrible... one of the worst experiences in my entire life." Kuwabara admitted. "I really didn't know what I was going to do... and the whole time- all I could feel was misery and suffering" He added, slumping forward. "But, the things he did to me and sis is nothing compared to what he must have done to her..." He then looked back up. "Somehow... we have to try and make things right... she deserves more than this." He added, looking down at the orb.

Yukina glanced at it for a moment and he handed it to her. "This thing... I've heard of objects like it before." She explained. The two young men listened intently as she continued. "The demon you encountered may have used it as part of the puppet's system... but he didn't invent it... this isn't really technology at all." She explained. "It's a vessel... a sanctified object that spirits are placed into." She concluded, holding it up to the light.

Kurama watched as she placed it inside the box. "Now that I think about, I've also heard of these in old stories... so that would make sense..." He remarked, turning to Kuwabara. "It's not unlike the Shinto belief of containing evil spirits within urns or stone totems." He explained. "According to the stories, Shamans in the makai used them to capture destructive phantoms and wraiths..." Kurama continued. "Except in this case, that demon perverted it- using it instead to entrap an innocent soul."

The young man nodded. "Then what we need is a demon to help us..." Kuwabara reasoned, watching as the Ice Maiden and the former fox spirit nodded. "Let me guess- it'll have to be a demon whose been around for a while; whose very strong and has a lot of experience and wisdom?" He asked with a faint smile on his face. "And of course, we can't just go asking around... it would have to be someone we know- who would might actually be willing to help us."

Kurama flashed a distinctly fox-like smile at his teammate's analogy. "Yes, that would make sense..." He reasoned, holding up an earthenware cup in both hands to drink the hot tea within it. "...taking all of those factors into account, I'm afraid we don't have that many potential candidates..." He reasoned thoughtfully. "Still, I think we may know someone who might be willing to help us..." He finished with a smile.

**.o.o.o.**

The massive lab was abuzz as technicians and scientists diligently monitored and controlled a vast array of complex equipment. At the center of the large room, an 8x12 foot section was closed off- encased in glass. Inside, a light projector was mounted at one end and aimed at a metal hoop about a foot in front of it. An identical metal hoop was set up at the other end.

Professor Kusano inspected it for a moment before turning to the nearby technicians seated at a nearby control panel facing the enclosure. "Alright, step up the power output gradually... we don't to overload the systems." He instructed. The men began working the machinery, creating a dull hum in the room. Gradually, it grew louder, reverberating around them.

"Levels steadying around... 0.5 megawatts- Optimal power level reached," One of the scientists replied, watching one of the gauges. "...Power output stable." He added calmly while two other scientist continued monitoring the readouts.

Kusano nodded, tucking his hands into his white lab coat. "Alright... Begin open-ended point-to-point beam projection." At his instruction, the scientists and technician began imputing the instructions into the complex machinery. Slowly, energy began to crackle between the two hoops. "Slowly now... step up the power." Kusano instructed without looking away.

Another scientist nodded and watched a readout. "Zero point five-one... point five-two... point five-five." He read out slowly as the energy running through the metal hoops started to stabilize. "...Zero point five-seven... point five-eight..." He continued reading out. Just as the output display reached 0.6 megawatts, the energy in the metal hoops became calm, shifting into a stable field inside the rings in a flat surface.

Kusano watched, totally enthralled at this new development. "The portals... they've stabilized..." He said, almost in shock as the glow was picked up in his glasses. "They've stabilized at 0.6 megawatts!" He exclaimed and rushed over to another scientists, seated at a different control bank. "Quick man, activate the particle projection sequence." He said, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder. The scientist nodded and pressed a few buttons on the control panel.

The projector softly hummed to life. Then, a beam of light shot out from it- straight into the wall of energy contained in the hoop before it. The beam went in through one side, but didn't come out. Instead, Kusano and the rest of the researchers watched in amazement as the beam came out through the other field.

Kusano turned around at the sound of footsteps to see Harada appear beside him. "Mr. Harada, did you see it- the light entered into Point-A and came out through Point-B." He explained happily, while gesturing with his hand. "We've done it... the first step is complete. We've achieved point-to-point matter projection!" He added, turning around to face the dark-haired man.

"And it's all thanks to you that this was even possible!" He added, shaking hands with him. "Thank you so much- for all of this." He added happily. "You were willing to give me a chance... and now, we're accomplishing something- together!"

Harada smiled and nodding, shaking his hand. "Not at all, Professor... all I did was provide the means," He began. "It is your brilliance that is truly making all this possible- your vision that will revolutionize science as we know it." He added. The two of them turned around to face the projection. "So, Doctor Kusano- what's the next step?" Harada asked calmly.

The older man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Light particle projection if relatively simple..." He explained. "...From this point on, thins will start getting complicated. You see, right now- the light that came through is not technically the same light that entered." He added. "...The transference broke down the particles and reassembled them on the other side... in effect, what it really projected was a facsimile of the original."

Harada nodded as he watched. "Yes, I can see the problem..." He replied, crossing his arms. "Tell me then, is it possible to project something through the 'portal' AND still preserve the original so that it can actually be reconstituted when it emerges?" He asked in shockingly casual tone, as if they were discussing the weather.

Kusano looked at him for a moment and then turned back to the set up. "Yes, I'm confident that there is a way to achieve it." He replied. "It's just a matter of stabilizing the projection..." He explained. "Right now, the partials just break down in-transit. What's projected through to the end point is only a replication of the of the original- something created from from the trace memory of the analysis."

Kusano continued. "Stabilizing the projection frequency is the next major step- if we can augment the frequency of the beam, then we should be able to maintain structural integrity." He added. "In theory, we could send matter through the portals... But instead of just breaking down and analyzing the particles, the system would create a sort 'atomic blueprint' and reconstitute the partials as they come through the other end."

Harada nodded. "Sounds complicated... but something tells me that you'll figure out a way of making it possible." He remarked. "I shall leave the details to you. Good luck Professor." He added, shaking the other man's hand.

**.o.o.o.**

Harada walked into his darkened office and opened his laptop. He started up a live feed and activated a video link. A window appeared on the screen- the loading animation playing briefly before it became active. The image of Gado's face then became clear. "Gado, are you receiving me?"

The other man nodded. "Loud and clear boss," He began. "I'm still getting the hang of this thing, but otherwise it's alright." He added.

He nodded. "We're making progress, the primary test run was successful." Harada explained to him. "Right now, Kusano is working out the next step- stabilizing the projection beam." He spoke at length. "Still, you're report indicated that you had some interesting news of your own to tell me." The dark-haired man added, leaning back in his chair.

Gado nodded back. "As we anticipated- all three of the assassins have now been defeated." He began. "As you know already sir- Kagamaru was defeated by Urameshi and Kuwabara."

"...Shrapnel was... _captured_ by Youko Kurama, while the Puppet Master and his assistant were killed by Kazuma Kuwabara." He explained. "Kurama also killed Blade- though the exact circumstances surrounding that are unclear." He concluded.

Harada nodded. "Yes... A tragic, though necessary, loss." He offered, rubbing his chin. "Still, I expect you were able to gather the necessary data to create the combat profiles?" He asked, prompting a nod from the other man. "...As for the 'unusual occurrences', could you expand on them?"

Gado scratched the back of his head. "I suppose I should start with Shrapnel... The best way I can describe it is that Kurama 'broke' her... he affected some sort of drastic change in her personality- as strange as this may sound, he basically used _therapy_ to defeat her."

Gado continued. "...In Blade's case, we don't have all the details. He acted on his own- so we weren't monitoring him at the time... but Kurama DID kill him." He offered. "The events around the Puppet Master's defeat are particularly interesting... You see, when the fight started to go against him, he used Kuwabara's sister as a shield." He paused. "Well, that's where it really gets interesting..."

Gado paused momentarily. "That technique he uses- the _Spirit Sword_- he somehow altered its nature so that he was able to make the blade pass harmlessly through his sister, yet still badly injure the Puppet Master." Gado explained as Harada turned away and sat quietly for a while. "Do you have any instructions, sir?"

Harada nodded and adjusted his glasses. "...In regards to Shrapnel- she's unimportant and certainly no threat to us- so any further actions against her is up to you." He began. "As for the overall plan- keep me informed of any future 'developments'..." He paused and smiled. "As for those spirit detectives... I think we've toyed with them long enough... It's time we really came down on them- showed them what fear really is."

Gado smiled broadly. "You read my mind Boss," He replied. "You can count on me."

**.o.o.o.**

Shizuru sat up abruptly, causing the blanket covering her to slip down. She looked around, taking her surroundings in. After a moment, she remembered where she was and exhaled in relief. She leaned forward, resting her hands on the blanket still covering the lower half of her body.

"I'm glad to see you're awake at last." Said a voice to her side and she rotated on the futon to see a young woman with messy reddish-brown hair and blue eyes sitting beside her. The stranger was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. "You've... been through a lot- you must have been exhausted, you fell asleep almost right after you got here." She added.

Shizuru rubbed her neck, recognizing the sting of faint bruises- a little souvenir from her night in hell. She noted she her sweater had been removed. Various minor band-aids adorned her forearms and hands. She lifted up the blanket covering her and saw that her long skirt was also gone and that similar bandages had been applied to her legs as well.

She spotted her missing clothing hanging near near the sliding door. She then looked at the mysterious girl sitting beside her. "I don't want to sound rude, but who are you?" She asked dully, still waking up.

She nodded in understanding. "That's a good question- I've had a few names over the years..." She began, running a hand through her unruly locks. "But I guess you can me Hikari... for now." She replied as she rose to her feet and walked over to a nearby dresser. "Don't worry, Yukina and I were the ones who dressed your wounds, so there's no need to feel embarrassed."

The tall girl continued. "Your brother- Kazuma- he's already up." She informed her. "He's nearby, talking with Yukina and... Kurama." She finished. Shizuru noted the faint blush that graced the girl's face when she mentioned the fox's name.

"I'm... Shizuru." She replied in a softer tone, glancing at her and returning the smile. "...I guess you must have drawn the short straw then?" She asked with a smile as she rose to her feet. The older girl noted the look of confusion on Hikari's face. "...What I mean is- you're stuck here, babysitting me." She added dryly with a smile.

Hikari shook her. "No, it's nothing like that," She began nervously. "I volunteered to keep you company." she added. "You see... Kurama, Yusuke, your brother- they've done so much for me. So it's least I could do." She finished in a sincere tone.

She noticed as Shizuru retrieved her clothes and started to search the pockets- a nervous look on her face. "You must be looking for the soul orb, aren't you?" she asked. The brunette paused, seeming to calm down, and nodded an affirmative to her. "Don't worry, it's safe with the men." She continued.

"They seem to have come up some interesting theories, last I heard..." Hikari offered. Shizuru quickly slipped her sweater back on and then stepped into her long skirt and pulled up the zips on either side and fastened it. She felt odd not having any leggings... The sensation of the fabric of her skirt against her bare legs was strange.

Shizuru started for the doorway, but suddenly paused. Hikari watched as she seemed to stair silently off into the distance, her eyes widening. Hikari approached her side and was about to say something when Shizuru stepped back into the room and covered her eyes with her hands.

Hikari became concerned. "Shizuru-san, is something wrong?" Shizuru tried to say something in response, but only faint noises could be heard. She moved leaned up against the wall and slid down. Hikari rushed to her side and gripped her shoulder gently. "Please, tell me- what's wrong?"

For a time, Shizuru made a sound similar to sobbing, but without tears. Then eventually, she brought her hands back down and slowly opened her eyes. "That's just it...It's all too much... I just don't know what to do anymore..." She muttered, her head slumping forward. "I just don't know what to do anymore..."

Hikari quietly sat down beside her. She put an arm around Shizuru and placed her free hand on Shizuru's comfortingly. "It's okay... everything will be alright."

**.o.o.o.**

The elevator door slid open and Gado and Grayson stepped out. "I never really liked it down here- it's so morbid." The taller man commented as he walked down the dull gray corridor, past numbered doors. "Though I expect that it doesn't bother you all that much?" He added, turning around to look at Grayson with an odd smile.

The other man simply smiled at the remark and adjusted his glasses. "Well, I suppose that I am rather good at stomaching certain things that others would find distasteful." He replied, resting his hands in his coat pockets. He shook his head woefully. "To think that we live in such dark times as these... where violence and hate and other atrocities are just a regular part of everyday life..."

Gado nodded. "Yes, perhaps for the moment- but it won't be always be like this..." He countered, stopping next to a metal door. He gripped the door's handle and slid it open, stepping into the room with the other man right behind him.

They paused and looked around the large room- the whole place was metallic and sterile with exposed florescent light fixtures humming dully above them. The wall at the far end of the room was composed of large metal cabinets- each one numbered and labeled. "I find that it's important to focus on the positive things in life." Gado added in an upbeat tone as they crossed the room.

"How characteristically upbeat of you."

The two men turned around in time as another figure stepped out. He was dressed in white medical scrubs and wore a black apron with several tools tucked into the pockets in the front. He reached up with a gloved hand and pulled down his surgical mask. "But then again, you've always been a positive sort." He added, removing his cap as well. His face was pale, with pointed ears, yellow reptilian eyes, and sleek black hair pulled back into a ponytail. "As always, it's a pleasure to see you here, down in my 'dungeon'." He announced in a German accent.

Just then, an attractive woman appeared at his side. She had the same yellow reptilian-like eyes and pointed ears as him- though her skin was slightly more flush and her hair was a vibrant reddish-orange color and hung down in wavy locks around her face and down her back. She was wearing a (borrowed) lab coat over a white blouse with an up-turned collar, and black velvet trousers with black jackboots. "Oh, I see we have guests, uncle?" She asked in a silky tone, also speaking with a (less pronounced) German accent.

He smiled at her and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Gentlemen, this is my darling niece Camilla- she's the one I was telling you about." She smiled and waved a gloved hand cutely at them as he spoke. "I invited her to come along with me so she could get some practical hands-on experience." He added, smiling and ruffling her hair affectionately before stepping back and walking over to Gado's side. He leaned in close to the other man's face. "It would mean a lot to me and her mother- my sister- if you showed her the ropes." He added in a hushed tone.

Gado looked down at him and smiled strangely as he put an arm around him. "I think I can arrange something, Dr. Reinhardt." He replied in a low tone. "In the mean time, why don't you show me what progress you've made." He added, motioning towards the wall of cabinets. "I'm very eager to see what you've been up to."

The dark-haired man nodded in understanding. He motioned for them to follow and walked over to where the cabinets were lined up. He reached into his pockets and searched around for something. After a moment, he produced a silver and black key and proceeded to insert into a slot in one of the cabinets. He turned it and the drawer slid open with a faint mechanical hiss. An icy fog wafted up as Reinhardt looked down at the contents. "Yes, this is the one..."

Inside the cabinet was a large black bag with a zipper that ran down the length of it. He tentatively reached in and pulled down the zipper. Gado spared a quick glance down and nodded. "He's not in the best shape... they really did a number on him." He began as the two of them glanced down. "Still, he's the best candidate for the process... and with the addition of the late Puppet Master's memoirs- I should have the first batch of prototypes ready quite soon."

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama stepped out of the room, where Kuwabara and the others were waiting. The red-haired young man shook his head. "Physically, she's totally fine," He began. "The problem is more emotional and psychological... She appears to be suffering from post-traumatic stress." He explained with a grave expression.

Yusuke looked at him. "But I thought that sort of thing only happened to soldiers." The dark-haired young man reasoned.

Kurama shook his head. "That's a common misconception," He began. "Virtually any traumatic event can trigger the condition- it's more to do with the stress and danger that someone is put under." He continued. "I'm afraid that in her case- she just couldn't cope with the strain of her ordeal."

He looked specifically at Kuwabara, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm afraid there's no quick cure for this..." He informed him grimly. "It's something she'll have to work through over time... and at her own pace."

**(- End of Episode 12 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

There we have it, another chapter out of the way. I'm not totally happy with how this chapter ended, but there wasn't really any other way to do it. This chapter ended up so long that I had to remove a scene from it (which I'll work into the next chapter somehow).

The next story arch will be pretty lengthy- I've plotted it out to run through multiple chapters. I hope you guys will check back as the story continues to unfold. As usual, this was another long chapter, at over 5500 words and 9 pages (including the intro and closing remarks).

Hope you guys enjoyed this,

-Bojack727


	13. Chapter 13: The Nature of the Game

In terms of character writing- I find that Yusuke is one of the hardest guys to write for. He suffers from what I call "Leading Man Syndrome"- he's the central figure of the series, and as he becomes more and more clearly defined, the supporting characters become more intriguing and mysterious...

Kurama and Kuwabara (my personal favorite) are much easier to write for... mostly because there's some room to get flexible with the characters. Botan is also a fun character when she is given a chance and I've been able to use her more positively. While Yusuke was out of action- the focus shifted to the three of them... It's a surprisingly good character dynamic. Hiei is also fun to write- he's sarcastic and rude, yet he can also be thoughtful and witty as well.

Of course, I've also fallen in love with many of my own characters. I love writing for villains, especially likable ones. I think some of the best 'baddies' are those who you can disagree with yet still understand and like them.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 13: "The Nature of the Game"**

**.o.o.o.**

It was late early afternoon as the two made their way along the sidewalk. Kurama and Hikari now found themselves situated in a quiet suburb- the young man's home quickly became visible as they walked. Kurama reached up and placed his glasses on, resulting in a faint blush from the young woman beside him.

"Thanks again for coming along." Kurama began as he placed his hand back on his hip while the other one gripped the strap of his backpack. "I just need to pick up some notes from my house and then we can drop your things off at the apartment." He was dressed casually- wearing jeans with a black and red t-shirt.

Hikari nodded. "It's no problem, really... You've been so kind to me... so it's nothing really." She replied, her blush darkening. The tall girl looked around briefly, her reddish-brown hair shifting in the breeze. "So this is where you live? It's so... peaceful." She observed as they continued walking under the clear blue sky. She was had on a pair of faded jeans and a yellow shirt with three-quarter length sleeves.

The redhead nodded. "Yes, it is... isn't it?" He countered as they neared the front yard. "Though in truth, I prefer it this way." He explained in a serene tone as the white clouds floated above them. "Experience has given me a healthy appreciation for the quiet life- I find it to be a nice change of pace, don't you?" He asked as they reached the front door.

She nodded. "Yes... I think I understand what you mean." She replied as he reached into his pocket and retrieved his house key. She looked around at the scenery and then back at him as he unlocked the door. "Compared to the Makai, this world is so bright... so alive." Hikari paused, suddenly realizing that he was looking directly at her with a soft yet intent gaze. "...It's full of people- living happily." She finished, blushing again under his watch.

He smiled warmly at her. "This is a wonderful place... and you've only seen a small part of it." He commented. "There's even more things to see and experience here." He added as he turned the knob on the door and pushed it open with little effort.

The two quickly set their shoes down near the entrance and walked inside. However, Hikari watched as Kurama was taken by surprise when he walked into the den. She appeared at his side in time to see a woman standing at the other end. She appeared to be in her late thirties. She was dressed modestly in a long blue skirt and matching blouse. She had long dark hair that was tide into a ponytail in the back. She had a soft, gently face with deep brown eyes.

Kurama promptly stepped forward and smiled. "Mother, you're home early." He observed cheerfully. "Is anything wrong?" He asked in warm tone as he crossed the room.

She shook her head. "No... every thing's fine Suichi dear," She began. "My appointment ended early, so I decided to come home and relax... you're just in time for tea." She added, motioning towards the kettle in the kitchen. She then looked over at Hikari (who flushed in response) and then back at Kurama with a smile. "You haven't introduced your new friend." She finished softly.

Kurama smiled and nodded. "Yes of course, how silly of me." He began. "Mother, this is Hisami Mizuhara- she's a friend from school." He stated formally as he motioned towards her.

Hikari was quick to bow her head- prompting a smile from the older woman. "I'm Suichi's mother, Shiori Minamino..." She began in a friendly tone "Pleased to meet you, Hisami-chan." She replied as Hikari walked forward to join them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you... Minamino-san." She replied and bowed again.

Shiori looked at her for a moment as she stood back up. "My goodness," she began. "You're so tall... and pretty." She observed with a smile, her remark causing the girl to blush even more.

Kurama also noticed her unease and was quick to act. "Yes, I think she's about... 177 centimeters tall, if I remember correctly." He began, glancing over at Hikari in time for her to blush again. "...Hisami is a member of the girl's Judo Club at the campus." He added in an attempt to cover all bases (in case her physique were to come up as well).

"I'm making tea. Why don't you join us?" Shiori asked her genially.

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Kurama replied. "I'll go get things ready while you make yourself comfortable." He added before leaving for the kitchen.

**.o.o.o.**

Camilla removed the lab coat she had been wearing and retrieved her own jacket from a hook near the door. She bid her uncle goodbye- kissing him on the cheek- before leaving with Gado and Grayson.

Out in the hall, she slipped her jacket on. It was also black velvet and buttoned all the way up and had a high collar, like a Nehru jacket. The shoulders were flared slightly, with the arms being narrower with decorative buttons on the ornate cuffs. Black leather gloves covered her hands. This completed her look, along with her matching black velvet trousers and shiny jackboots. The overall appearance was rather akin to a _pantomime_ villain, but it somehow suited her.

Gado tucked his hands into his jacket pockets. "Alright, my dear Camilla- you happen to be in luck." He announced coolly as the three of them walked down the hall. "It just so happens that I was planning something big... and I think you'll fit into my plans quite nicely." He added with a smile as the young woman listened intently. "Just remember one thing- you're my apprentice for the time being. I'm responsible for you, so don't let me down." He finished in a gentle tone.

She move in closer- her pretty face beaming with pride. "Don't worry Mister Gado, I promise you won't be disappointed with me." She spoke. "Just give me the word and I'll make you proud of me." She added happily.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked down at her for a moment, before smiling broadly. "That's the spirit! That's just what I like to hear!" He exclaimed with a smile. "Now, I think we should go find the others so I can introduce you to them."

**.o.o.o.**

It was a beautiful summer day as Yusuke walked out into the courtyard. He looked around for a moment and spotted Kuwabara and Yukina- they were sitting down near a large pond, watching the various multi-colored koi fish moving about through the water. The dark-haired young man approached, noting the lily pads floating on the surface as the orange and numerous fish flittering about in the slightly murky water.

The human and the Ice Maiden looked up in time to see his approach, prompting him to wave. Yukina smiled gently and nodded while Kuwabara just gave a simple nod. Yusuke smiled back and placed his hand behind his head (in a disarming gesture). "...Sorry to disturb you two," He began, somewhat awkwardly. "But I just got done talking with Nagashima- and he wants me to meet up with him tomorrow at the Federal Records Building downtown." He revealed.

Kuwabara nodded in understanding. "Nagashima... He's the guy you were talking about- the government agent, right?" He asked, recalling an earlier conversation they had- Yusuke had told him about how he had been approached by a man who claimed to be from a special secret branch of the government... Nagashima had apparently given Yusuke a cellphone to help him stay in touch with him.

Yusuke nodded. "Yep, that's him alright." He began, placing his hands in his pockets. "Nagashima and the people who sent him seem to know a whole lot of things about us... things that Spirit World has tried to keep under wraps." He explained. "They've done there homework and not surprisingly- we've come up as players in a bunch of their high profile investigations... so I couldn't play dumb with him." He admitted with a degree of embarrassment .

The orange-haired youth shook his head. He guessed that they'd smoked out as the people behind Yukina's rescue years earlier. "Well, I guess we couldn't expect to do all the crazy things we did and not have anyone catch onto it... still, I don't think Spirit World would be too happy to know that an entire branch of the government is aware of them." He reasoned, before he looked up at Yusuke. "Did he happen to mention what the meeting was about?"

The young man nodded. "Yeah, he wants to go over some records with me- to see if anything we've seen matches up with their info... names, faces, and so on." He explained. "Anyway... I really don't want to do this on my own- so I was hoping that you'd come along with me." He explained. "...I was also thinking of inviting Kurama and Hikari as well." He added. "Figured I might as well go ahead and make it a big group outing." He offered with a smile.

Kuwabara considered it for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Sure, I was planning to go downtown anyway." He replied. "I think I know the place you're talking about- there's a shop I want to go check out inside the mall that's in same area." He explained.

Yusuke nodded. "Cool," He countered. "...Well, that just leaves Kurama and Hikari." He continued. "...Oh, and I guess Botan too... that is if she can make it." He mused, rubbing his chin.

"What about Keiko?" Yukina asked.

Both Kuwabara and Yusuke became silent for a moment. Eventually, Kuwabara glanced up at Yusuke and nodded, before turning back to Yukina. "Actually... she volunteered to keep my sister company while our mom's out of town." He admitted.

Yukina was taken back for a moment- blushing faintly. She managed to compose her self and placed her hand Kuwabara's shoulder. "Oh Kazuma, I'm sorry..." She began in an apologetic tone. "I didn't mean to..." She tried to continue, but was unable to find the right words.

Kuwabara took her small hand in his and smiled. "Don't worry Yukina," He began, smiling softly at her. "Shizuru's strong- she'll get through this." He added reassuringly.

**.o.o.o.**

Special Agent Ken Nagashima sat at a round table in the open-air patio of a small coffee shop downtown. He was dressed in a dark gray-blue two-piece suit with a blue and silver tie. He had on dark sunglasses and a tan trench coat over his suit. He glanced to his side as another man approached him, holding a large paper cup in each hand.

The man was Ryo Morita, Nagashima's partner. While Nagashima was slim and clean-shaven with neat slicked black hair, Morita was more broad-shouldered with wavy brown hair and glasses. He had on gray two-piece suit with a dark red tie. He was also wearing a bronze-colored trench coat. Morita walked over and set the cups down on the table before taking a seat across from him.

Nagashima muttered a 'thanks' as he took his cup- complete with a convenient sleeve for the heat. Morita picked up his cup and blew on it as steam rose up through the opening. "We're meeting up with Yusuke Urameshi tomorrow at the federal records building." He explained, calmly taking a sip from the cup. He smiled, noting that they'd got the coffee just right.

Morita nodded. "It's hard to believe that such a young kid could be involved in so much high-level shit." He remarked while taking a drink from his cup. He set the cup down and and leaned back slightly in his seat.

Nagashima nodded, setting his cup. "Tell me about it," He began. "As you know, Urameshi- along with three or four others- has been involved in pretty much every significant paranormal event in the last four years." He explained. "He's also got some sort of high-level connections as well... I figure if we can play this right, we might be able to get info out of him." He added, rubbing his chin.

Morita nodded. "Yeah, it would make sense that there's some sort of organization at the heart of it." He began. "For him to be pronounced dead, then miraculously rise from the dead... well that implies some sort of higher power is at work..." He added. "What about the others?" He asked, taking another drink.

Nagashima thought about this for a moment. "Well... the Minamino boy keeps a low profile, so we don't have much info on him." He began. "As for the other one- Kazuma Kuwabara- he seems to have a pretty close relationship with Urameshi." He remarked. "They seem to have known each other for a long time." Nagashima paused and smiled. "Kuwabara seems to be involved romantically with the Ice Apparition they rescued during the Torukane incident."

Morita nodded. "Yeah, I know- but as far as the high-ups are concerned... she's off limits." He remarked, leaning forward a bit. "...Along with most of the family members and friends." Morita added, somewhat annoyed.

Nagashima shook his head."This isn't the old days anymore... We're the 'good guys', as such- we cant just do as please." He remarked. "Besides, they're not the issue," He added calmly. "Our concern is with Yusuke and his immediate allies... and whatever the hell is going down around here." He added simply. "The threat that these strangers pose is our immediate concern."

**.o.o.o.**

Shimmer sat up, the sheets sliding off her naked body as she moved. She extended her arms upward, leisurely stretching. The demoness yawned and and placed her hands in her lap. The curtains were drawn and the lights were off, but she could still make out the shape of Dalton's body- resting on his side, next to her with his back facing her. The demoness shimmied up against him and propped herself up on her elbow.

"Do you think any of the others are wondering where we are?" She asked in a silky tone as she traced her finger along the contours of his side- over his shoulder and down along his side, she paused at his hip and licked her lips. "We've certainly been gone a while now- I'm sure Gado won't like it..." She mused, a mischievous smile on her.

He turned his head and looked up at her. Her long silky hair was hanging down loose all across her body like violet curtains. The only light- coming faintly through the gap in the curtains- was at her back, so her face and body was covered in shadows. Still, Dalton could make out her distinct violet eyes as clear as day. He smiled up at her and turned onto his back. "They know where we are- and I think they know what we've been doing as well."

Shimmer giggled faintly at the assertion. He reached up and brushed his fingers against her soft cheek, prompting her to reach up and take hold of his hand. She looked down at him intently. "You know, I don't think Gado likes me all that much." She spoke thoughtfully with a smile. "He certainly doesn't seem to approve of how much time you spend with me." She added deviously.

Dalton gave her a thoughtful look, then nodded. "...If Gado doesn't like you, then that's his problem," He paused. "Because I like you very much, my love." He added. She gazed down at him for a moment, before leaning down to kiss him.

After a while, Shimmer eventually pulled back. She reached down and ran her fingers through his short messy hair. "I love it when you talk to me like that, do you know that?" She asked. She then sat back up and got to her feet. Her naked body was now visible to him- he smiled, sparing a glance down at the curve of her back and her round bottom.

The demoness approached the curtain and opened it slightly. She looked out at the surrounding cityscape before turning back to face Dalton. She smiled warmly at him as he stood up and stretched. He was lean and slim and a few small scars marked his body in places. He walked over to a nearby wardrobe and opened it. "We'd better get dressed- we'll have been missed by now." Shimmer nodded as he continued. "I hate to leave, but we do have a degree of obligation." He commented in a dry tone as a small smiled played across his face.

She nodded, sliding the little bottom piece of her outfit on and then slipping her little top on. She walked over to Dalton as he donned a white shirt and started to put his tie on around his upturned collar. He paused as she gripped both ends of the tie. "Allow me..." The two locked gazes as she skillfully interlaced and fixed his tie neatly around his neck then fixed his collar.

"Yes, duty calls my dear." She spoke softly with a slightly smile. The two shared a kiss...

**.o.o.o.**

Hikari and Kurama walked up the steps of the apartment building, along with Yusuke. Once the two had finished having tea with Kurama's mother (an experience that involved a great deal of blushing on Hikari's part), they met up with Yusuke and decided to join him on his trip downtown. There was a park in the area that he wanted to show her.

She dropped back against the outside of her door and exhaled. Kurama smiled as he watched her, noting how tense she had been earlier that day. "Well, my mother seems to like you." He said in his usual calm even tone. She paused and leaned against the wall beside her. "Still, I'm sorry that the meeting was sprung on you so suddenly... I imagine it must have been fairly overwhelming for you?" She asked, looking over at her.

She shook her head. "It was nothing, don't worry about it..." She began, making herself smile. "Your mother, Minamino-San, was so friendly to me." She replied, looking into the redhead's bright green eyes. "She's such a nice woman... so I can understand why the two of you are so close." Hikari admitted, brushing her reddish-brown hair out of her eyes with a degree of annoyance. She reached down and unlocked the door.

He nodded his head in agreement as he followed her inside. "Well, I'm really in her debt- if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here right now." He began. "But it's more then that... She's my mother- she gave me something that I'd never experienced before... a sense of 'belonging'." He continued in a sentimental tone. "Most experts say that the first real relationship a male ever forms is with his mother- it's from that we learn how to relate and empathize with others."

Hikari sat down on the couch in the living room and Kurama joined her at her side. "I thought she'd be more shocked to see me- I mean, bringing a girl back to your house is kind of a taboo..." She admitted with a faint blush as she spoke. "I hope she doesn't think I'm a bad influence on you..."

Kurama laughed slightly at her last remark. "Oh I wouldn't worry about that," He began, shaking his head. "My mother trusts me and knows me well enough that I don't fall in with bad elements." He continued in a slightly ironic tone. "In truth, I think she's more happy to see me with you... I think she was worried that I might end being celibate." He added with a slight chuckle. "...Still, she genuinely likes you- which is important if I'm going to have you in my life."

Hikari blushed, realizing what he'd just said. She looked towards him and met his gaze. She wasn't totally sure what to do, but part of her wanted to be even closer to him. She swallowed hard as she placed her hand on his. The young woman blushed even more as he gripped her hand in his. Kurama started to leaned forward...

...when Yusuke knocked softly at the door. The two of them both pulled back and laughed slightly as Kurama got to his feet.

**.o.o.o.**

Dalton walked down the marble steps and into the ornate reception hall of the building. He was wearing freshly pressed denim jeans and a new pair of (polished) boots, a dark reddish-brown waistcoat over a white dress shirt with a dark blue tie. He had on a stylish dark brown three-quarters length jacket, along with a new wide-brimmed felt hat- this one was dark brown with a dark band around it. He reached the foot of the steps in time to spot Gado as he approached him.

The tall man stopped and crossed his arms. He was silent for a moment, apparently taking in his new wardrobe for a moment. "...Well now Mr. West, aren't you looking sharp?" He remarked calmly, uncrossing his arms and gripping the front of his brown tasseled jacket. He tilted his head slightly, noting that Dalton appeared to have shaved.

"What about me?" Shimmer asked as she appeared before them at the foot of the steps. Her makeup was perfect and the jewel on her forehead caught the light perfectly. Her long violet hair had been done up into a large ponytail and hung down in the back.

To the tall demon's surprise and amusement- Shimmer was wearing a dark red kimono with black trim, it was tucked into a matching red and black split-legged hakama. She was also sporting traditional black tabi socks and red sandals (over her normally bare feet). Rounding off the ensemble was a dark red and black thigh-length haori jacket- complete with silver trim. The haori hung open in the front, so her dark black obi wrapped around her waist was visible (along with a fan tucked into it).

She smiled and held out her arms as she stepped forward. "So, what do you think- I've decided to try out some of the local human fashion." She announced cheerfully. "I have to say that despite being rather complicated, it does look nice."

Gado grinned at her. "Well now, I must say that I didn't expect to see you to dressed so formally." He began, looking at Shimmer silently for a moment. "Still, my dear... It does it suits you quite nicely." He added, prompting the female demon to nod and smile back at him. "Well, now that the two of you are here, I can get everyone up to speed on our plans."

Gado gestured for the others to follow him and swiftly walked into the large dining area (where Samedi had been sitting the whole time). Once they all arrived, the tall man turned and motioned toward Camilla, urging her to his side. "First off, I think I should begin by introducing the two new additions to our ranks..."

He looked down at the black-clad demoness beside him. "This lovely young lady is Camilla Gerhardt- she's Dr. Reinhardt's niece." He spoke, putting a hand on her shoulder as she joined him at his side. "She's a newcomer to our line of work, so I've taken her under my wing to train her." Camilla smiled and waved cutely at the others.

"With that in mind, I expect you to extend the same courtesy and help her to learn- she's one of now, so make her feel welcome." Gado finished, giving the girl a smile.

He then gestured towards a man who was standing near the bar, mixing a drink. "By contrast, our other guest is none other then then _the_ Robert Grayson- who some of you might know better as 'Mr. Gray'." He added as the man finished preparing his drink and held it up in his hand to take a sip of the dark amber-colored liquid.

The bemused man simply shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Now in Mr. Grayson's case- he knows the drill and the procedures. He's here to help us deal with Spirit World's minions... and anyone else who tries to stop us." Gado explained. "I think it goes without saying that his reputation speaks for itself." He added.

Gado crossed his arms behind his back. "Now I've been considering our next move against them for a while now- and of course, as you all may have guessed, I had to make sure that the ordeal would would be both achievable and effective." He explained in a calm tone.

He began walking as he spoke. "We are now in the perfect position- both in terms of advantage and resources- to inflict a devastating blow to them... something that they will not soon forget..." He added as he came to a stop. He then turned around. "As we speak, Nawari is overseeing the crux of the operation... However, this is a multi-pronged attack, so this will be a team effort." He added, walking back along the path he'd just taken.

"Tomorrow, Yusuke Urameshi and his little entourage will arrive in the downtown area... We're going to be there as well." Gado added deviously with a smile, as he suddenly stopped again. He then turned to face Shimmer. "The 'Good Doctor' Reinhardt has been working on some rather interesting subjects- and there's one in particular that I think will be quite helpful for your contribution to our operation." He explained. "I'd like for you to pay him a visit- I'm sure he'll be more than happy to explain it in further detail."

Shimmer nodded as Gado then stepped back to address the entire group. "We've let these Spirit Detectives have their fun... We've indulged them- allowed them to play their little games." He began in a low tone. "However, I think it's time that we took the kid gloves off and showed what we can really do." Gado continued. "This city, like so many others like it, has grown complacent... there's no fear anymore... But that's about to change..."

He held up his hand dramatically. "Fear is the most potent emotion one can experience- without it, there would be no drive for survival." Gado offered. "Yusuke and his friends have forgotten what it means to know true fear... so we're going to reintroduce them to it."

The tall demon smiled at all of them and crossed his arms behind his back. "My friends, I think it's high time we show Yusuke and his allies, along with the rest of Spirit World, what happens when they come against us... I think it's time we introduced a little chaos into the mix."

**(- End of Episode 13 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

This chapter took a while to write. First, there were a few scenes that carried over when the previous chapter ended up being to long. Then of course, some of the scenes- specifically those with Kurama and Hikari- proved difficult to write. This chapter is more of a set-up for the following ones, so I hope you guys will stick around to see what happens next.

Thanks again,

-Bojack727


	14. Chapter 14: Chaos Theory

This is another example of a single chapter getting too long. This is basically the second half of chapter thirteen. I was able to re-jig the storyline of the next few chapters so that the flow would still work.

I've been holding back on Gado for a while, but as you might have guessed- he's going to show some of his power pretty soon. There's a lot going on this chapter- a lot of characters moving around. I hope it doesn't seem too cluttered.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 14: "Chaos Theory"**

**.o.o.o.**

The black sedan pulled into the underground parking lot of the Federal Records Building. Once below, the car pulled up to a space and the doors opened. Nagashima and Morita promptly stepped out of it.

Various cars, both civilian and government issue, were scattered through the dull, dark gray expanse of the parking level. Florescent lights illuminated the area enough to make it navigable- still, there were a lot of long shadows and dark corners.

The two men made their way to the elevator, which had _'Sub Level 1'_ written above the dull metallic doors. "You really think he'll show up?" Morita asked, his hands tucked into his coat pockets.

Nagashima nodded as he pressed the call button, making it light up. "Don't worry, he'll come- he knows we'd come looking for him if he didn't." He replied. A chime eventually sounded and the triangular light over the door lit up as the elevator arrived.

The smooth metal door slid open and the two men stepped into it. Morita reached over pressed the button for the first floor. "I hope you're right." He began as the door closed. "We could sure use a breakthrough in this investigation."

"It's more than that," Nagashima remarked. "I think we're on the verge of something big... I think we're dealing with something very dangerous." He began in a low tone. "And the kid knows it too- he's seen the sort of damage these people can do first hand."

The chime sounded again as the elevator reached the first floor. The door parted in a quick fluid motion and the two agents stepped out into the front main lobby of the building.

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama and Hikari had been the first to depart from the bus- their stop being the first to come up. Yusuke sat on one of the side benches, with Botan sitting next to him. Kuwabara sat across from them on the other side.

Yusuke leaned forward. "Hey Kuwabara, how come you didn't invite Yukina to come along with us?" He asked. The young man was wearing a pair of jeans and sneakers, along with a simple white t-shirt and a reddish-brown collared jacket.

The orange-haired youth smiled and shook his head. Kuwabara was wearing dark jeans and tennis shoes, along with a Metallica shirt and a red and black jacket. "Because I'm going to the mall to look for a present for her." He replied with a faint blush. "It's going to be the anniversary of the first time we met and I wanted to get her something."

Yusuke arched a brow at this. "Are you sure about that? I mean, I'm not trying to be a buzz-kill, but things went pretty badly when you two first met." He remarked.

"No man," Kuwabara began calmly. "That was the day that I first fell in love with her- and it was also the day that I first asked her out last year." He explained in a nostalgic tone.

Yusuke leaned back and and smiled. "I should have guessed as much." He remarked with a chuckle.

"Well, I think it's very sweet." Botan interjected, smiling at Kuwabara. "Yukina's such a lucky girl." She added, making Kuwabara blush. The ferry girl was dressed in an unusual ensemble. She wore a pair of grayish-brown trousers tucked into a pair of sleek boots. She had on a loose, long-sleeved white dress shirt under a sandy-colored vest with red and green plaid intersecting lines. The final piece of the ensemble was a bright red ascot around her collar with the ends hanging loose in the front.

The three of them could feel the buss slowing down and Kuwabara looked up to see his stop being displaying on the digital marquee at the front of the bus. He stood up- gripping the nearby pole to steady himself as the bus came to halt- and looked back at Yusuke and Botan. "This is where I get off- I'll meet up with you later in the afternoon."

The Spirit Detective and Grim Reaper both nodded. "You know my number- call me on the cellphone when your done." Yusuke replied.

Kuwabara nodded and made his way to the front of the bus, where he disembarked. Yusuke looked over at Botan. "Not that I don't appreciate you coming along, but why exactly were you so interested in this meeting?" He asked.

The blue-haired woman smiled at him. "There's a lot at stake right now, so I'm coming along in the interests of Spirit World." She explained. "I have to make sure that these guys are on the up and up." she added.

Yusuke nodded. "Right..."

The blue-haired girl looked over at him. "So, what did you tell Etsuko?" Botan asked casually.

Yusuke chuckled and shook his head. "We had another one of our 'little' arguments this morning... She's pissed about how I keep taking off all of a sudden... and maid sure to let know." He explained.

Botan sighed and shook her head. "Well, despite all her faults... she's still your mother." Botan reasoned.

Yusuke looked at her. "I don't mean to sound like a total asshole, but just being my mother doesn't mean that she's qualified to take the moral high-ground with me." He replied in a huff. "She certainly has no right to criticize my choices, considering that she had me when she was fourteen..."

The girl nodded understandingly. "Perhaps not," Botan replied. "And I'm certainly no expert in these sort of matters... but I think that if I created something..." She began, placing her hand on her stomach as if to accent her own words. "...a life that I nourished inside my own body- part of myself, with my blood- and brought it into this world... well, I think that I'd worry about that it... hell, I think I'd worry a lot..." She finished with a slight blush.

Yusuke looked down at his own clenched hands for a moment and exhaled. "...When you put it like that, I guess I am a total asshole." He remarked dryly with a smile. He became quiet again. "You know, Botan, when I think about it... I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if we were closer..."

Botan smiled warmly at him and leaned against his shoulder. He was about to say something when she hushed him. "I sometimes wonder about things too... like what it would have been like I'd been the first girl you knew..."

Yusuke felt a sudden jolt inside himself and looked at her. "Botan, I..."

"Don't worry... for me, it's just a fantasy... But for you, it's different. You're not limited to wondering, you can change things." She told him in a soft tone, without looking at him. "Life is unpredictable enough as it is- you should know... But you shouldn't have to have regrets- when this is over, go back to your mom..."

**.o.o.o.**

Shimmer walked along the large roof and looked through the glass ceiling- down into the area below. The demoness observed that the interior of the building was full of people. She smiled to herself and licked her lips. "Yes, I think this place will do quite nicely."

Shimmer adjusted her outfit as the fringes fluttered slightly in the breeze. She gestured to a mysterious hooded figure standing beside her. He placed a cell phone in her hand. She flipped it open and dialed a number into it. "Gado, this is Shimmer- I've found a suitable location for to stage my part of the plan." She spoke into the phone. "...What's the status of the others?"

Gado's voice came on the other end. _"Nawari's completed his stage of the operation. Dalton's also just informed me that he's reached his spot and is now making final preparations._ _I'm closing in on Urameshi- along with Camilla and Grayson. _..._So I'll be making my move soon."_

Gado paused for a moment. _"Wait for Nawari to make his move- that will be your signal to begin your part of the plan... Dalton will also be carrying out his instructions as well." _He finished.

Shimmer nodded to herself. "I understand. As soon as he gives the sign- I'll descend." She then closed the phone up and handed it back to her her silent colleague. She glanced at him briefly (flashing him a look of indifference), before turning back to look down through the glass. "And now my talkative friend... we wait."

**.o.o.o.**

Yusuke and Botan arrived at the foot of the steps. The large flight of stone steps lead up the large glass front of the building. The two quickly ascended it and arrived the entrance, just as the sliding doors opened before them.

The dark-haired young man entered first, with Botan following behind him. The sound of someone calling out to them alerted the two of them. Yusuke turned to see Nagashima, along with another man that he didn't recognize. They quickly approached them. "Yusuke Urameshi, I'm glad you could make it." The agent began. "This my partner, Ryo Morita." He added, motioning towards the other man.

Botan looked at the two men. She couldn't sense any particularly strong levels of spirit energy from either of them. But there was something unusual about them- not dangerous, just out the ordinary. Visually, they seemed like the perfect double act- Nagashima being the young clean-cut personable one and Morita being the world-weary older one. Still, the Grim Reaper guessed that there was more to these two men then Mr. Nagashima was letting on... something hidden behind his smile...

Nagashima glanced at blue-haired young woman and noted that she appeared to be scrutinizing the two of them at the moment. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met..." He began. "You're more than welcome to join us... it's just that Yusuke didn't mention you when we spoke."

The young man in question fidgeted nervously. There was no way that Yusuke could pull the wool over this man's eyes. He could bull-shit his way around most adults, but something about Nagashima was different. He looked like he couldn't be much older then his mother. However, Nagashima was different from most of adults he was used to...

Yusuke turned to Botan, who merely smiled back at him, and then looked back to Nagashima again. "Uh yes... sorry about that," He began. "This is Botan, she's worked with me on several of my er 'cases'." He explained. "I can vouch for her- I've known her for almost four years."

The dark-haired man just quietly looked at the two of them for moment and cast a quick glance to Morita, who in turn nodded back. "I don't suppose 'Miss Botan' would happen to have a last name, would she?" He asked casually.

Yusuke glanced away for a moment, and then back to Nagashima. "Actually, as far as I know- I don't think she does." He replied with an exaggerated smile. He quickly turned to Botan. "Do you have a last name?" He asked her in a whimsical tone.

She looked at him for briefly and smiled. "Well, I suppose I must have one..." She began, still smiling. "I mean it wouldn't make sense to not have one, right?" She then asked Yusuke. "But the problem is that no one's ever asked what my last name is, not even I have..."

Yusuke narrowed his eyes at the smiling ferry girl (unamused with her sarky demeanor), then turned back to the two men. "As you can see... I have to deal with my fair share of _eccentric_ people in my..." He paused. "...My 'line of work'." He added.

The two agents exchanged another quick glance between one another, silently conveying something between them. Nagashima then looked backed back at Yusuke. "I take it you don't want us asking too many questions about your friend?" He asked with a smile.

The dark-haired agent shrugged, a look of indifference on his face. "Truthfully, her last name isn't really all that important," He began. "...She's welcome to join us of course- provided that she understands that this is all off the record." He explained as he walked over to the elevator and pressed the button.

The elevator chimed behind him as he looked at the two of them. Both Yusuke and Botan nodded in understanding. The doors slid open and he ushered them inside. Nagashima stepped in after them, followed by Morita.

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama and Hikari walked along the path, shaded by the branches above them. Kurama looked up for a moment and smiled to himself. "I always enjoyed watching the cherry blossoms bloom..." He spoke softly.

The girl looked at him. "Will they blossom soon?" She asked. She was wearing a frilly sleeveless blouse and a long skirt that Keiko had helped her pick out... She felt a little embarrassed in such a 'girly' outfit, but when Kurama had seen it- he had smiled and complimented her.

The red-haired young man shook his head. "No, unfortunately they bloom in the autumn." He explained. "It's a national holiday... I can take you to it, if you like?" He offered, giving her a gorgeous smile in the process that made her blush.

The tall girl felt her cheeks get warm. "Yes, I'd like that..." She replied softly, her hand drifting towards his. He captured it in his hand and nodded.

**.o.o.o.**

The elevator carried the four of them up to the tenth floor of the building. The ride had taken place in relative silence as they ascended. The two agents had said nothing since ushering Yusuke and Botan in with them. The the final chime sounded- lighting up the 'tenth floor' symbol in the process- the doors slid open once more.

Nagashima was quick to motion towards the exit. The two youths stepped out into a rather plain-looking hall, followed by the two agents. They made their way to a large set of sliding doors that promptly parted- leading them into a medium sized reception room. A woman sat behind a large desk. She looked to be in her late thirties and had brown hair and glasses. She looked up as Nagashima approached her. "Can I help you?"

The dark-haired man nodded and showed her his ID. "I'm agent Ken Nagashima, and this my partner Ryo Morita- we're from the Bureau of Special Investigations." He explained in a professional tone. "We're here for a special case we're investigating- the two 'kids' are with us, they're going to look over some of the archives for us." He finished.

The woman nodded. Yusuke noted the plaque on her desk had 'Kazehara' on it. "Yes, your identification seems to be in order- just sign in here," She began, motioning towards a nearby log. "And I can send on through." She added calmly.

Nagashima was quick to sign himself in, followed by Morita, and then Yusuke. The dark-haired youth watched as Botan then jotted down a signature below his. There was a brief buzzing sound, followed by the opening of a door to the left of them. The four of them quickly walked through.

Yusuke moved in alongside Botan as they walked. "What exactly did write down just now?" He asked in a hushed tone.

The blue-haired girl smiled at him and continued moving. "Well, I obviously wrote 'Botan' as my first name..." She began.

He regarded her for a moment. "Obviously," Yusuke countered dryly with a nod. "...But what did you put as your 'family-name'?" He asked with some effort.

Botan smiled cutely at him. "Well- if you really must know..." She began cheerfully. "I wrote 'Reikawa' as my last name." She finished in a cheeky tone.

Yusuke was aghast. "You put down _'soul river' _as your family name- are you crazy?" He asked in a shocked tone. "What's wrong with you? We're going to have a hard enough time as it is without your ridiculous jokes!" He warned under his breath.

**.o.o.o.**

Gado stopped and looked up at the building before him. He looked up the flight of stairs before him to the front entrance. The massive glass doors were only a small part of a much larger multi-level glass facade that looked out onto the surrounding area. "This is it," He began as Camilla and Grayson looked on. "Somewhere, up in this building, Yusuke Urameshi is waiting for us." He added with a smile.

Grayson was dressed in his usual outfit, along with his glasses and gray trench-coat. He was unshaven and his hair hung down messily around the sides of his face. He reached up and pushed his glassed back up the bridge of nose with a gloved hand, and nodded. He turned to face Gado. "Well, if that's all- then it's really just a matter of flushing the little rat out." He remarked. "With the right lure, he should come to us..." He mused.

Gado smiled and nodded. "You read my mind, Mr. Gray." He began. The tassels on the sleeves of his jacket rustled as he crossed his arms. "I think in this case, the little trick we used back in '94 ought to work pretty well." He added.

Camilla looked at two men for a moment. She felt in awe, both of them were veterans and icons in their line of work. She ran a black-gloved hand through her wavy locks of bright reddish-orange hair as it practically shined under the light of the midday sun. "I'm sorry, but I don't really understand what you mean." She admitted, a faint flush playing across her pale flesh.

"It's alright, you're here to learn- so feel free to ask questions." Gado replied with a smile. He then motioned for both of them to follow him as he began walking up the steps. "Think of this way- if you have rabbits in your garden, how do you deal with them?" He asked. "I'll tell you... You find the borrow, and then then you do one of two thing- the first is to seal the entrance up and bury them alive..."

Grayson smiled at this and rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he spoke. "Yeah, just like what the humans did to the little rabbits in _Watership Down_." He commented. "I can picture it so easily- the entombed are always driven mad, clawing and biting... all in a futile attempt to escape." He added in a low tone, his eyes becoming imperceptible as the lenses of his glasses eerily reflected the sunlight.

Gado chuckled. "Yeah, except in this case- our 'rabbits' just happen to be people." He offered in a light tone. "As for the other option, it's even better..." He began. "You light a fire at the entrance and wait for the smoke to drive them out- then kill them as they try to escape." He added. He then turned to Camilla and smiled. "Don't worry, it's as easy as pie- they all just come one by one... right to the chopping block!" He finished dramatically.

Camilla nodded and smiled appreciatively- the young demoness was grateful to be learning from an expert like Gado. Mostly out of habit, she adjusted her black velvet jacket. As usual, black gloves covered her pale hands. "We're going to smoke Yusuke out, and you- my dear- will be assisting us in this venture." He added with a smile, reaching over and ruffling her hair affectionately.

Camilla blushed, but still managed a smile in response. "You honor me, Master Gado." She offered humbly, bowing her head while holding her hands in front her body. She looked back up at him and smiled... "You really are as amazing as Uncle Ambros said- I'll do my very best for you, 100 percent!"

Gado grinned. "Excellent, that's the spirit- just the sort youthful drive and enthusiasm that I like to hear!" He exclaimed enthusiastically. "There's no doubt- as long as you keep this positive outlook of yours in your heart, there's no limit to what you can accomplish!" He added confident. "And we will be accomplishing truly great things in the coming days!"

The glass doors slid open and the three entered the first floor lobby. Grayson paused and looked around. "Gado, I can feel it... my blood- racing through my body!" He exclaimed, turning towards him. "Is this what it feels like to truly be alive?"

Gado smiled. "We're about to find out my friend." He replied. "Camilla, you go take care of the security." He instructed her. "After that, secure the systems and cut the power- we're going to find out if our super-human friends can see in the dark!"

Camilla nodded and quickly rushed off to carry out his instructions. Gado nodded to himself then turned to face Grayson. "My dear Mr. Gray, it soon will be time for us flush out our little rabbits."

Gado placed his hand on his shoulder. "Take the elevator up the floor where they are- when darkness falls... the child will come to investigate, no doubt suspecting something is wrong... Let him pass." He instructed. "As for all the others- anyone who tries to stop you or impede what we are doing is to be slain." Grayson nodded and headed for the elevator.

Gado watched him as he departed. "A lot of people are going to die to today... _a necessary evil._" He remarked to himself, shaking his head briefly. "And now my friends... come, let us all 'dance with the devil in the pale moonlight'."

Gado remained alone in the lobby. He knew what was going on around him... Grayson had walked up to the elevator- a man in a black suit stepped out. He was about to say something, when Grayson slashed a blade across his throat... splattering blood onto the wall and as the man fell to the floor and died. Camilla soon arrived at the security control room and quickly killed everyone within. Grayson reached the level where Yusuke was was on- killing another man who got in his way...

Gado sighed and looked upwards. _"No pestilence has ever been so fatal... or so hideous. Blood was its Avatar and its Seal- the redness and horror of blood..."_ He finished mouthing the words, then looked back down. He smiled faintly to himself. "I think I'm starting to understand what Edgar Alan Poe meant..."

**.o.o.o.**

Grayson lowered the dead man onto the ground, his gloved hand still clamped over his mouth while the other was pressed against his back, supporting him. He released him and then slowly rose up. Grayson glanced around for a moment. "They're close by... I sense it- a new warm scent in the air... pulsing, flowing... like blood!"

He casually made his way down the hall and stopped at the door that that Yusuke and the others came through. He straightened out his coat and adjust his tie. Grayson then opened the door and stepped inside the small office. The receptionist looked up as he stopped before in front of her desk. "Can I help you sir?" She asked, somewhat cautiously- the man had a strange air about him, tired yet aware.

Grayson smiled at her. "I really hope so," He began in a friendly tone. "You see, I'm look for someone. You can't miss him... he's about 19, with dark hair and brown eyes... and about this tall." He added, holding his hand in the air to emphasize his statement. "Oh yeah, how silly of me... I almost forgot something important. ...I've had a long day, so you'll have to forgive me if I seem a little out of it."

He smiled at her. "Now where was I...? Oh yes, that's right." He remarked, dropping his fist down on his open palm. "Funny the little things one suddenly remembers..." He commented, leaning down to get a better look at her. "You see, my friend- the one I'm look for... He's already died- twice!"

**.o.o.o.**

Back down in the lower levels of the building, Camilla held up a security key card- a broken chain hanging from one of the corners. She swiped it through the reader and stepped into the master control room. She spotted a large metallic box-like object mounted on the far wall.

She walked over to it and nodded. "This looks about right..." She commented as she reached up and gripped the large leaver firmly in her gloved hand. She pulled it down in a quick fluid motion. The fiery-haired young woman paused- still holding onto the lever- and looked around for a moment. Suddenly, she began hearing an audible grown start coursing through the building.

She smiled to herself and let go of it. The sound of the whole building 'dieing' could be heard all around her. She stepped back, towards the door and smiled. "Let's see how they like that!" She remarked cheerfully as she left the area.

_Elsewhere..._

The room was cast into total darkness. The four of them looked around in confusion as the emergency lights came on- casting the room in an eerie red glow. "What the hell's going on?" Morita exclaimed as he looked around.

Botan looked around. She turned to the two men. "Is it at all possible that this could simply just be a coincidence?" She asked.

Morita shook his head. "This building's power systems are state of the art. It has to be- all the mainframes have to be protected from power fluctuations." He replied. "No, there are too many fail-safes for something like this to be an accident."

Nagashima looked over at him. "Then it has to be sabotage."

"That's it, I'm to see what the hell's going on here!" Yusuke exclaimed and rushed out of the room. Botan took off after him.

Nagashima held out his hand and called out to them. "Hey! Wait! Don't just run out there-" He began to say. His hand then fell back down. "SHIT!" He exclaimed.

Yusuke and Botan arrived at the reception room they'd come in through. Botan turned to the desk. "Oh no, Yusuke- the receptionist..."

The young man moved past her and around the side of the of the desk. He found her dead on the floor. He cursed inwardly and stood back up. He was about to leave, when he noticed a framed picture on the desk. He looked at it- it was of the the woman, she was with what looked like her husband and their young sun...

"Oh... no..." He muttered weekly, as if suddenly he were out of breath. He slowly looked up and turned to Botan. "Come on... we've got killers to stop!"

**.o.o.o.**

Yusuke and Botan descended multiple flights of stairs down the dark stairwell. Eventually, they came out into the darkened lobby. "YOU?" Yusuke called out when he spotted the demon standing near the front.

The tall man was standing near the entrance, looking at the expanse of the city, when Yusuke had called out to him. Gado paused, and casually turned around to face them. The only light now was coming from the glass facade behind him, so an eerie glow shined around his darkened figure. "So, you've finally arrived?"

"What's going on here? What the hell are playing at?" Yusuke exclaimed.

Gado began walking towards them, his features becoming more visible in the dim glow of emergency lights mounted on the pillars on either side of the large hall. "Hello Yusuke Urameshi." He began with a smile. "I've been looking forward to this moment for quite some time- now we can finally properly get to know each other. There's no need to rush right now, we've got all the time in the world."

He stopped, about thirty feet from them. "My name is Gado Meshima, but I'm also know as 'Firefly'." The demon began, gesturing towards himself. "I've heard so much about you over the years- about the boy who brought down Rando the Manhunter and helped quell the Saint Beasts' Coup." He began. "And of course, we can't forget how you defeated Toguro at the Dark Tournament and how you finally put Sensui out of our misery." He went on.

"Yusuke Urameshi- successor to Genkai, inheritor of the _Spirit Wave_, the sole reaming carrier of the noble blood of the late Lord Raizen... Yusuke Urameshi- the all-powerful and all-knowing Spirit Detective. The boy who defied even death itself to rise again like the mighty phoenix." He declared dramatically, before pausing briefly. "So, have I forgotten anything?"

Gado looked at the two of them. "You're speechless I take it? I hadn't expected that... Not from the great Yusuke. Surely, someone like you- who acts as judge, jury, and most importantly of all, executioner- would have something to say...?" He asked in a mocking tone. "Today, we're clearing air- there's no more running for you- today, I will show your true self."

Yusuke glared at him. "Whatever, I heard this schtick before- you're just another demon, like all the rest!" He exclaimed.

"Demon?" Gado replied, chuckling. "After all this, you think I'm a _just _a demon?" He asked in a low tone. "Don't lump in with that common Makai trash..." He glared at Yusuke. "I am of the Mazoku- as in _'The Tribe Evil'!_ And where my kind go- only death follows!"

A blast of energy struck Yusuke in the chest- flipping him onto his stomach. "Now, get onto your feet and fight back!" Gado exclaimed.

The dark-haired youth quickly rose up and fired off his spirit gun- the massive burst of energy hit Gado head on... and dissipated before him like it was nothing. The demon still stood there, totally unharmed and leering at him. "Pathetic!" He exclaimed. "I know you've got more power in you- it's just in you're case, it takes a little gentle _prodding_ to get it out of you." Gado fired another blast of spirit energy- knocking Yusuke onto his back.

Yusuke fired off another blast at Gado while still the ground. The blast was even stronger, but it still had no effect on Gado. "I can see we're having some difficulties... But then, you never were type to do things the easy way, were you?" He asked. "But don't worry, I'll help you reach your full potential... It's just a matter of motivating you... and I've got just the thing."

He reached into his coat pocket and took out a strange looking device with an antennae on it and a large red button. He held up the device and pressed the button with his thumb...

Yusuke and Botan watched in horror as multiple explosions went off all over the city. The whole building shook as nearly a hundred linked bombs detonated simultaneously! Countless buildings were totally destroyed- others caught fire or splinted and caused the upper levels to crumble away onto the ground below. After that, a punishing rain of burning debris, ash, and shrapnel came down all over the city. Fires quickly spread throughout the entire downtown area, but thanks to the strategic placement of the explosives, many of the most damaged spots included the police and the fire departments.

**(- End of Episode 14 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

I can't believe how long this chapter ended up being. I cut two whole scenes from it, and it still turned out being ten pages long. I never set out for the chapters to be so long, it just keeps happening!

Anyway, a hell of a lot has happened in this chapter, and there's even more to come in the next. I hope you will keep reading this, because the things are only getting started for Yusuke and the others. Gado's finally been set loose and has shown the extent of his (and the Disciples) power. Outnumbered and trapped, the guys are going to have a hell of a time trying to get out of this ordeal in one piece.

-Bojack727


	15. Chapter 15: Cry Havoc

The last chapter ended up being so long (over 5700 words) that it would have easily ended up breaking the 10 page mark. When writing, I like to avoid going over 6000 words... Even after I cut two whole scenes, it still ended up being overly long.

One of the scenes that I cut was where Yusuke and his mother had their argument. It ended up being referenced in the conversation between Yusuke and Botan. However, that scene became one of my favorites (growing into a scene of its own). I basically ended up swapping one for another. I really enjoyed writing for Botan then. I always liked her in the show, so it was unfortunate that the series never really made use of her.

I can relate to the writers who like Yusuke/Botan- I actually think it makes more sense dramatically. The real problem (aside from the fact that Keiko is not a _bad_ character) is that it requires having to override a lot of Yoshihiro Tagashi's established content... and I respect him too much.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 15: "Cry Havoc"**

**.o.o.o.**

Gado casually watched as the carnage unfolded all throughout the city- fire and destruction ravaging everything. After a moment, he turned back to face Yusuke and Botan. "You know, I have to admit- it's more impressive than I expected..." He looked at the two- both silent and sporting mortified expressions.

Gado looked at them, then shook his head in disappointment. "Aww... don't tell me you're squeamish?" He asked mockingly. He frowned. "That's the problem with you Spirit World people- you have no stomach for conventional violence." He began. "Still... Pretty hypocritical though when you consider that your beloved masters train and employ assassins to do their dirty work, don't you think?"

Yusuke sat up suddenly. "What the hell are you talking about- you just blew up the city you fucking animal! You're the killer!" He exclaimed.

A dangerous grin suddenly appeared on Gado's face. "You got that right! But I'm if a killer, then what does that make you? An assassin, that's what!" He countered darkly. "I told you that we were going to clear the air today- this will be a learning experience for you, Yusuke... I plan to open your eyes to the hypocrisy that exists all around you."

"You won't get away with this!" Yusuke exclaimed, getting back onto his feet once more. Gado calmly held up his palm and fired another blast at him- knocking him back down onto his stomach.

"If you really meant what you just said- then that shot I just fired wouldn't have taken you down like it did just now..." He shook head and lowered his hand. "No Yusuke... you're still fooling yourself- you'll never have a chance unless you give up this self-righteous pretense of yours and truly commit yourself to killing me." He explained in a matter-of-fact tone. "I know you have a killer's instinct in you somewhere... It's just your morals holding it back, stopping you from becoming truly powerful."

Botan rushed over to Yusuke's side. She quickly turned towards Gado and shot him a venomous gaze. "You monster, you have no right to compare Yusuke to _something_ like you- he's nothing at all like you, he's a hero!"

"A hero?" Gado replied. "Sorry princess, but your 'hero' is nothing more than a common killer- the only thing that makes him different from your average run of the mill murder or hit man is the fact that he kills in the name of a so-called 'higher power'."

"All this carnage and destruction would never have happened if not for Spirit World... They put up the barriers in the first place to segregate the races... And then there's the fact that even as we speak, they're actively invading the Makai- enforcing their brand of law and order." He continued. "Spirit World claims to be acting for the good of humanity- but this only includes what they consider to be humanity."

Gado took a step forward and pointed towards Yusuke. "Take a good look at yourself and see the truth," He paused. "Spirit World takes ordinary humans and turn them into weapons- that my friend, is the true legacy of Spirit World."

"That is the nature of the beast you serve... You, Yusuke, are a product of their system- they saw the potential in you to be a killer, so they made you a detective... Of course, this is also after the two previous failed attempts... One ran away, and the other- well. You know that story... The whole Global Genocide plot and all that." Gado remarked, casually shrugging his shoulders.

He held up his hand and flexed it. "However... As fun as our little chat has been, I think it's time I set about bringing the _real_ you to surface." He began with a casual smile. "I _will_ bring out the killer within you, it's only a matter time... and bloodshed."

**.o.o.o.**

Kuwabara had just walked out of the shop, when he heard the sound of explosions going off. Suddenly, The whole place almost seemed to shake in all the chaos. "What the hell?" He exclaimed, looking around. At that moment, countless rows of glass windows shattered as one of the closer explosions went off. He tucked the package he was holding into his coat and looked around.

He was staggered by another blast, but managed to regain his footing. He turned around in time to see one of the mall's massive skylights shatter- sending glass raining down. Kuwabara quickly rushed across the first level of the mall, past countless panicking civilians, to a nearby damaged escalator. He hastily made his way up it, but stopped just as he reached the top. He paused and watched as two figures landed on the second level- through the destroyed skylight.

He recognized one of them as the demoness that they'd met in the hospital (the bawdy female one who had held Botan hostage along with the scruffy one with the guns.) However, he'd never seen the other one- who was covered up in a dark cloak. "Aw man, this is bad..." He thought to himself.

Shimmer scanned the area for a moment, then spotted Kuwabara. "I wonder, is it possible- could you be the aura I sensed earlier?" She mused out loud to herself as he glared at her. "You're certainly powerful enough... but I could have sworn it was darker... like the energy of a demon." She added in a thoughtful tone as she rubbed her chin. "Oh well, no matter," She declared calmly. "You'll do just fine." She added with a smile.

The demoness flashed a predatory smile at him. "Ah yes, I remember you..." She began, adjusting her haori and walking towards him- her sandal clad feet just visible from under the fringes of of her hakama. "I met you, along with that pretty little blue-haired friend of yours back at the hospital, that's right." She added casually, the cloaked figure hovering just behind her. "As for your other friend, I hope got sight back by now... he's certainly going to need it." She added, licking her lips as she spoke.

The tall human tensed up. "What's you game- what the hell is going on here?" Kuwabara exclaimed.

Shimmer shook her head. "You'll never learn anything with that sort of attitude." She replied, wagging her finger at him. "You see, girl's don't really like the tough guy act... they prefer a much gentler approach." The demoness retorted with a devious smile. "I think I'll have my friend here teach you some proper etiquette." She added with a smile, looking over her shoulder ad nodding. "Musashi- attack this human!"

The cloaked figured flung back his heavy garment- revealing that he was completely covered in a set of strange stylized samurai-like armor, including a helmet with a face-mask. Musashi (as she had called him) reached down and drew a long katana-like blade from a sheath at his side and lunged right towards Kuwabara!

The young man flinched... There was a sudden flash of black before him, and the sound of metal striking against metal. Both Kuwabara and Shimmer looked on in shock as a dark figure appeared before him. The young man opened his mouth to try and say something. "You...?"

**.o.o.o.**

Nagashima turned towards Morita. "You stay here and keep trying to get through to headquarters for backup." He instructed the older man as he slipped his trench coat off.

"This is completely insane!" He exclaimed in frustration. "Are you a serious- just what the hell are you planning to do?" Morita demanded, looking at him. "You could run into one of those lunatics out there!" He added. "You're probably walking into a deathtrap!"

Nagashima reached inside his black jacket and pulled out a semi-automatic pistol. He pulled the slide back and clicked the safety off. "You're probably right, but I've got to do something!" He snapped. "A bunch of terrorists have invaded the building... and those kids are out there risking their lives!" He replied. "Now you just stay here and get us some damn backup!" He finished, before running out of the room they were in.

He rushed through the small reception area and out into the hall. After he was gone, Grayson rose up from behind the desk and glanced over at the doorway he'd just come through...

**.o.o.o.**

Gado held his arm out and unleashed a jet of bright red fire from his palm- straight at Yusuke. The young man closed his eyes and braced himself for the attack... But nothing came!

After a moment, he looked up and to his shock- Botan was standing in front of him- her arms held out as she generated a protective barrier around them. The lashing red flames were sent in in all directions as it impacted against the barrier. "Botan- what the hell are you doing? Get out of here while still can!" Yusuke exclaimed in a state of panic.

Gado looked at the scene in front of him. While he'd planned for a number of things, he certainly hadn't expected this to happen. The young blue-haired grim reaper girl was actually risking her life to protect Yusuke! He smiled to himself as he took it in- the more he thought about, the more amazing it seemed. He'd seen a lot of things in his time... and almost always, it was the selfish desire for self preservation that prevailed. However, here was the girl risking her life for someone else!

The tall demon could see that this was putting a strain on the girl... she couldn't hold out indefinitely. Even now, he could see that she was slowly buckling under the strain of his attack. A serious expression graced his features as he watched her. She was shaking under the effort of resisting him- her whole body struggling to even stay upright as the flames he was projecting pounded against her.

Surely, she had to know that she couldn't prevail against him? Yet, she held her ground... He began to wonder. "Tell me one thing, Grim Reaper..." Gado began in a low tone as her knees started to bend. "Are you really willing to give your life to protect him?" Botan didn't say anything back.

Gado watched as she clenched her teeth and strained seemingly every muscle in her body to keep herself on her feet. It was then that Gado noticed something... something that Yusuke also saw. The demon cocked his head slightly to side to confirm what he was seeing. He watched as her narrowed eyes began to water and then, as tears formed in her eyes and trickled down her face. They continued, running down the curve of her jaw... till they fell onto the tiled floor below.

Gado nodded as the clear droplets hit the ground. "So it's true then, you really are willing to die...?" He murmured softly. He began walking towards Botan and Yusuke. Suddenly, the attack abruptly stopped. Botan looked up, amidst tears to see Gado standing in front of her and looking right at her. She tried to say something, but her barrier flickered out and she started to fall.

Gado was quick to catch her falling form. He effortlessly lifted the girl into his arms and smiled down at her limp form. "Don't don't worry, for you- the danger is over." He spoke in a gentle tone as he carried her off to the side... out of the way. He kneeled down and carefully placed her on the floor. He reached down and brushed the tears from her eyes, before rising to his feet. The tall demon looked over his shoulder and glared at Yusuke, who was still on the ground.

Yusuke was struggling back onto his feet, when Gado suddenly reappeared beside him and kicked him hard in the ribs with the side of his boot- sending him rolling. Gado then walked over to where the teen had ended up (his hands casually tucked into his jacket pockets the whole time) and walked around behind him. He then kicked him again- this time with the end of his boot, sending him flying back into the center of the lobby. Yusuke gasped for air- his ribs were sore from the demon's attacks. He felt a chill suddenly and turned to look over his shoulder...

Gado was standing there and looking down at him. The expression on his was different this time- it wasn't mocking, it was dark and condemning, filled with contempt. "You disgust me!" Gado spat in a low tone, kicking him hard in the stomach. "What sort of man are you?"

Yusuke made a gagging noise as his vision went fuzzy for a moment. Gado glanced downward and stomped on the dark-haired youth's wrist before he could fire his his spirit gun- stomping on his hand for a good measure. The demon then then moved the he heal of his boot so that it was pressed against Yusuke's throat.

"Look at you- you just laid there on the floor, like the garbage you are... While that girl risked her life to try and protect you!" He added darkly, gesturing towards Botan's prone figure as Yusuke grasped at his boot and struggled to take in air. The heal of the boot pushed down harder against his throat as he looked at him. "I'll tell you one thing _little boy_, she's a hell of a lot braver than you'll ever be!" He went on, pressing slightly harder against his throat.

"She said you were a hero! Is this how you repay her faith in you?" Gado exclaimed before lifting his foot up. "...You are such a disappointment- and to think that I expected so much from you... Clearly the rumors of your strength were incorrect." He remarked. "A real _hero_ wouldn't let someone like me literally walk all over them!" He then reached down and picked up Yusuke by the collar of his shirt.

Gado held him up with one hand (the tips of the teen's feet dangling almost a foot off the ground) and looked him in the eyes. "Unless you start impressing me right now, I'm going to have seriously re-think my game plan." He instructed him, before tossing him across the room.

**.o.o.o.**

Morita continued to try and get through on his cellphone. He held up the small phone in his hands and dialed the number into it again. Somehow, there was some sort of interference with the signal... He guessed that the extended chain of explosions he had heard had something to do with it.

If that was the case, then the situation was even worse than they had first thought. It was likely that the blasts had damaged the broadcasting tower inside the downtown area. The city was probably in total chaos at the moment- creating enough bullshit to hold up pretty much the entire populous for the foreseeable future... At this rate, it would take ages for him to get through. He cursed out loud as the call failed to go through yet again.

Morita paused suddenly when he heard the door open. "Nagashima, I-" He looked up to see a man that he didn't recognize standing in the open doorway. "What the... who the hell are you?" He asked in a frustrated tone as the man looked on at him.

Grayson silently stepped inside the small room and closed the door behind him. He reached up and removed his glasses. "You're a professional, like me... so I can respect what you do." He began in a calm tone, looking directly at Morita. "So don't worry, I'll be sure to make this quick..." He remarked with a smile.

**.o.o.o.**

Nagashima slowly opened the door to the front lobby. He spotted Botan lying on the ground, unconscious. He rushed over to her and kneeled down beside her. He suddenly paused when he saw what was going on. He watched as a tall man in boots and a brown leather jacket picked up Yusuke by his collar and tossed him across the lobby like he was a rag doll.

"This is bad..." He silently thought to himself before he reached under his jacket and slipped his pistol into his shoulder holster. Keeping low, he made his way over and picked Botan up. He quickly hoisted her over his shoulder and slipped back into the darkened stairwell. The agent set the blue-haired girl down (against the wall) and removed his cellphone from his belt. He held it up and looked at- someone had just texted him:

"_I'm afraid Agent Morita won't be taking anymore calls... for the rest of his life. So sorry for the inconvenience. _

_-Mr. Gray"_

"Goddamnit!" Nagashima cursed. He put the cellphone back into its holder and turned back to Botan and sighed. "Well kid, it looks like we're really screwed now... I've got to come up with some sort of plan are we're all dead..." He mused as he scooped her up into his arms and began descending the dark staircase. He soon turned the corner of the final flight of stairs.

He could just make out the sign denoting that he was in the sub-level. The agent kicked the door open, still holding Botan in his arms, and ventured out into the parking garage. He paused, adjusting his hold on her, and looked around the the numerous vehicles in the now-dark facility.

**.o.o.o.**

The entire park was cast into total chaos after the first series of explosions occurred- the upper levels of a distant tower were amongst the first structures to be obliterated. A second wave of explosions destroyed even more structures. All across the area, a series of blasts shattered thousands of windows and set off every car a security alarm around.

"They're attacking the entire city!" Kurama spoke in a distant tone as he watched his surroundings crumble and burn down. "They're really done it this time... a mass bombing!" He continued, panic in his voice. "And to think that we were arrogant enough to believe that they wouldn't do something like this... they read us like an open book."

Kurama held a hand up over his eyes as he surveyed the damage. "And we did half of the work for them by coming here and splitting up like this!" He added frustratedly. The redhead turned to Hikari to check on her, but found the tall girl staring silently at the wreckage with a dumbfounded expression. "Hikari? Hikari, what's wrong?"

She snapped back to reality when she felt him take hold of her shoulders and jostle her slightly as he spoke to her. She turned and looked at him for a moment. "Kurama... don't you see?" She asked frantically. "All this... it's all just a game to them." She began. "The Disciples... they're just toying with us..." She told him in a shaky voice.

Kurama looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, it does seem that way... our enemies truly are a terrifying lot." He reasoned in a serious voice as he looked around. "I can't believe they'd go to such lengths simply to get our attention..."

She look directly at him with a serious expression. "They didn't just do this to scare us... it's all part of some big master plan of theirs. All of it- the bombs, the attacks, everything." She explained to him. "It's all been planned out- everything they've serves a larger scheme somehow."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and regarded him for a moment. "They've allowed us to think that we had them figured out, but in reality- this is nothing to them in the grand scheme of things."

The fox spirit nodded after a moment. "You're right, this wasn't just random violence- it was a message from them." He remarked. "They wanted to make sure we knew just how helpless we really are against them." The redhead added gravely.

Kurama looked at her with his green eyes. "Hikari, we have to find the others- right away. The longer we stay separated, the more at risk we are." He explained in a serious tone. The tall girl looked at him for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

**.o.o.o.**

Yusuke rolled onto his back and tried to get back up, but Gado was quick to appear before him and push him back down with a boot firmly against his chest. "I don't think you really understand just how dire a situation you've walked into." Gado shook his head. "This isn't some game- it's your life on the line. And I assure you that I will kill you." He added in dark tone.

He stomped down on Yusuke's chest again. "Well? Don't just lie there- say something! Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" He asked the teen. After a moment, Yusuke looked up at him and glared angrily. His eyes began to glow with power, and soon the rest of his body began to radiate the same spirit energy.

Exerting himself, Yusuke reached up and grabbed hold of his boot with both hands as his power began to flare up even more. "As a matter of fact... I do." He replied. "...Fuck you!" Yusuke spat, as his aura expanded outwards- almost pushing against the tall demon in the process.

"What's this...?" Gado mused as he felt the young man's power flowing past him like a strong wind. Yusuke slowly began lifting his foot up off his chest- clenching his teeth and narrowing his eyes as he strained to push his assailant back. Suddenly, Yusuke's power violently went off like a shock-wave from an explosion. The tall demon narrowed his eyes as he was staggered slightly by the impact. He stumbled back a few steps as Yusuke leapt up onto his feet.

"Well now... looks like you've still got some fight left in you after all?" Gado asked, smiling darkly at the young man before him. The tall man watched as the intensity of the energy surrounding the Spirit Detective rapidly increased. "That's the spirit kid- give me your worst!" Gado exclaimed enthusiastically.

At that moment, Yusuke hunched down slightly with bent knees and clenched fists- his spirit energy flared up violently and fired right at Gado. The tall demon held out his hands and braced himself as the energy struck him head-on, like a tidal wave. Gado let out a grunt as he tried to hold back the power coming at him. Yusuke watched, a look of frantic glee on his face, as his foe was sent flying back several feet onto his back.

Yusuke stood up straight and glared at Gado. The youth's spirit energy continued to crackle dangerously- giving off a dangerous glow as he stood before Gado's fallen form. The spirit detective smiled dangerously at him. "How about that, did you like that? Was that enough goddamn power for you?" He exclaimed. "Do you still think I'm just playing around now?"

Gado Meshima chuckled to himself as he sat back up and looked directly at Yusuke. "Well now... keep this up and all this might actually turn out to have been worth my time after all." He began as he got back up onto his feet. "I knew it was just a matter of time before you snapped and showed your true self to me." He added as he took up a fighting pose. "And now, if you don't mind- I do believe that it's my turn now!"

Yusuke could do little more than stare dumbly as Gado vanished in a blur before him. Just then, his eyes went wide as the demon reappeared right in front of him. The teen managed to block the demon's punch- catching his fist in both hands. The young man instantly realized his mistake- he'd managed to stop the punch, but hadn't taken measures against the energy that was infused in the demon's attack!

The power surrounding Gado's fist flared up and sent him flying into a wall. The surface cracked as he crashed into it, then slid back down onto the black marble floor.

**.o.o.o.**

Shimmer had given the order for her mysterious follower to attack Kuwabara. The young man had only just braced himself for the attack, when a dark blur moved in between them. There was the sound of metal striking metal- then, "Musashi" was sent flying back onto the ground.

Kuwabara looked on in shock at the figure before him cast aside his own black cloak. He was dressed totally in black- jet black pants tucked into boots and a matching black martial arts jacket. The small stature, along with the spiky black hair, made him instantly recognizable to the tall human. The newcomer took up a defensive pose- wielding matching ornate black katanas in each hand (both had long serpent-like dragons engraved along the blades. He brandished one in front of him while holding the other away from him.

"These people certainly have made quite a mess of things- I guess I arrived just in time, eh?" He asked, his lips curving into a dangerous smile as he spoke. He glanced over his shoulder at Kuwabara and nodded, before looking back towards the two attackers before him. "These two must be members of these 'Disciples' that I've heard so much about?" He asked.

The demoness felt a sudden chill as she looked at the black-clad warrior. "Wh-who are you, h-how do you know about us?" She demanded. _"How can he be so damned causal about all this? I... I hadn't counted on having to face two high-level fighters."_ She thought silently to herself. "Wait... I've seen you before, you're him- the..." She trailed off.

Shimmer glanced down at Mushashi, who was just getting back onto his feet. The silent fighter retrieved his fallen sword and looked towards her- silently awaiting further commands. The demoness glared at the figure standing before her. "What are you doing here?" She exclaimed. "No... it can't be." She began. "They said you were in the Makai- why are you here now, after all this time?"

He grinned dangerously at her. "Fool, the _Reikai Tantei_ fight as a team." He replied. "Not that I would expect someone like you to understand such a concept... But if you really knew anything about us, then you'd understand that when you take on one us- you take on all of us." He added coolly.

He paused and glanced briefly over his shoulder at the spirit detective. "It certainly has been a while... hasn't it, Kuwabara?"

The young man smiled and nodded, brushing a hand through his orange hair. He silently walked up alongside him and regarded the two enemy fighters standing before them- both the demoness and the masked warrior.

Kuwabara glanced down and nodded in agreement."...Yeah, it has been a long time." He began with a slight smile. "Too long... Hiei."

**(- End of Episode 15 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

If you're wondering where Hiei's been all this time, it should become more clear in the upcoming chapters. Also, you might have noticed that Hiei and Kuwabara are being pretty civil towards each other. If you're curious about this, then you can find the details surrounding this change in attitudes in my previous story, _Saga of the Dark World._

Going back to what I said earlier- I think the strongest (and most obvious) 'relationship' in the show is the one between Yusuke and Kuwabara. I'm hesitant to call it love, because it's not romantic. The link between them is as close a bond as two men can ever have- a near-mythical sense of fellowship and understanding. Before Toguro 'kills' Kuwabara, he remarks "...Yusuke does seem most protective of you."Yusuke is devastated by this and his full power is finally unleashed.

When Sensui is literally killing Yusuke right before his eyes, Kuwabara breaks down into tears, remarking "This can't happen, it's not fair..." and "...There's nothing wrong with guys needing each other!" It's the idea of Yusuke's death that finally drives him over the edge (as Kurama observes) and allows Kuwabara to bring forth the legendary _Ji'gan-Tao._


	16. Chapter 16: The Dogs of War

While not as long as chapter 14, chapter 15 was still just over 4500 words long. This chapter certainly has a lot going on in it. However, I just wanted to touch briefly upon a few things that have carried on through the last few chapters.

The scenes featuring Gado (both with Yusuke & Botan and with Camilla & Grayson) were interesting to write. Much of the dialogue between him and Camilla and Grayson only really came out as I was writing it. In many ways, this current storyline is really Gado's. I worked hard to make him seem real, including when it came to his views about both Spirit World and Yusuke.

In Grayson's case, I wanted someone who is subtlety (not overtly) threatening- the threat from his character is more implied. For Camilla, I wanted something fresh and new into the story. While she's still a demon- she's young, enthusiastic, and attractive. She's wants to learn from Gado and is eager for to impress him. She's a shockingly refreshing character.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 16: "The Dogs of War"**

**.o.o.o.**

Shimmer stepped back, feeling a slight twitch above her eye. She wasn't sure what to do... She hadn't expected to end up facing TWO high-level fighters. The demoness knew that she had to come up with something fast, or things could start getting ugly...

The demoness didn't want to play her hand just yet... She had to come up with something else for the moment. Shimmer turned to face Musashi. "Quickly, I want you to destroy both of them- now! Do you understand me?" She exclaimed frantically as she began backing away. The warrior nodded a silent affirmative and began advancing towards Hiei and Kuwabara.

Musashi held up his sword up in preparation for his next move. Hiei narrowed his eyes as he gauged his movements, then suddenly turned to Kuwabara. "I'll stay behind and take care of this guy." He declared. "In the meantime, you get out of here and find the others." He instructed him calmly.

Musashi spread his feet further apart and began moving from side to side as he stared right at the black-clad fire demon."But you don't know what this guy can do- you might need my help." Kuwabara replied, trying to reason with him.

Hiei shook his head and smiled. "Right now, you're needed elsewhere..." He replied. "The others are spread out across the city- we have to fall back and regroup if we're going to have any chance of coming out of this alive." He added, turning back to the masked fighter. "Now go- quickly! And don't worry about me- my powers are enough to take care of him." Hiei finished.

Kuwabara was silent for a moment, but then nodded and started to leave. He paused, and looked back at him for a moment, before descending a nearby spiraling staircase. Shimmer watched at the Kuwabara abruptly departed. She cast her gaze back to Hiei just as Musashi charged him- his long sword drawn. The demoness frowned and shook her head.

Hiei shifted to a forward facing pose and raised his arms. He crossed the blades of his two shorter katanas together and blocked the attack- catching the blade in its descent. Hiei bent his knees slightly, before rising up and putting his weight into his upper body. The motion pushed against Musashi's sword and drove him back several steps. The fighter proceeded to make several swipes and thrusts towards him (all the while, never uttering a single sound), but Hiei used his superior speed to evade all of the attacks.

The fire demon suddenly went low and slipped past him. Shimmer quickly realized that he was coming for her and leapt up into the air- back up through the breach in the skylight- and onto the roof. Hiei was about to go after her, when he senses that the swordsman was right behind him. He turned around and blocked with one sword and then promptly swung at him with the other. He nimbly jumped straight back to avoid his attack.

Musashi cast off his heavy cloak- revealing that he was covered entirely in a suite of strange black and silver segmented body armor that resembled classical samurai gear. No part of him was visible... Even his head was concealed within what looked like a stylized samurai helmet (complete with flared sides and horns in the front). To complete the look- a red 'devils face' (or a _kishin_) was fixed to the front, concealing his face as well.

Hiei regarded him briefly. "Well now... don't you look threatening in that fancy suit of armor you're wearing?" He asked sarcastically before resuming his fighting stance. "Now why don't you show me if you really are the devil you want me to think you are!"

**.o.o.o.**

Yusuke stood back up, leaning against the wall he'd been thrown against just moments earlier. He looked up in shock as Gado suddenly appeared in front of him in a flash. Yusuke gasped as he was struck dead-on in the chest by the demon. The impact knocked him back against the wall. Gado reached down and hoisted him up- pushing him against the wall.

As the demon held him in place with one hand, Yusuke thrust his hand forward- his pointer finger extended. He smiled at Gado and narrowed his eyes as he fired off another blast from his Spirit Gun at him- this time at point-black range! There wasn't enough time for Gado to completely avoid the blast, so when it fired- it grazed past the side of his head just as he tried to turn to the side.

The powerful blast flew past him, tearing through the building. Gado, for his part, was knocked back by the blast and spun around a few times before falling onto the ground. Yusuke looked down at him and smiled, but Gado started to laugh. The demon simply got back onto his feet, seemingly unharmed, and rushed towards him, striking him head on... into the wall! This time, Yusuke crashed through the hard surface, shattering it as he was sent crashing through to the other side...

Yusuke went skidding across the ground, through the flurry of dust and mortar that came down around him. He looked up and saw the silhouette of Gado appear in the haze of dust. The tall demon looked down at him, when suddenly- he heard a beeping sound. He casually reached into the pocket of his brown tasseled leather jacket and pulled out a cellphone. He read the text message on the screen and smiled, tucking it back into his pocket.

Gado smiled and stepped into the room. "Well now, it seems that your absent friend just arrived." He remarked as Yusuke started to get back onto his feet. "I just hope he can make it time to see you die." He added, his energy starting to flare up around him. Gado leapt at Yusuke just as he got back onto his feet- the boy managed to block his attacks, but the demon's simple impacts were actually burning him slightly with his aura.

Gado eventually succeeded in breaking through Yusuke's defensive blocks- sending him crashing through a solid glass wall with a hard kick to the midsection. The dark-haired young man landed on his side, amid the flurry of broken glass. He looked around, realizing that he was in some sort of reception room. He sat up, and turned back to face Gado. "You really are a glutton for punishment, aren't you?" He asked him.

Yusuke struggled to his feet- scratching his hands and his pant legs in the process. He was dazed and bleeding and he could feel a decent amount of blood trickling down the left side of his head. He reached up and touched his left temple, only to wince from the contact.

Gado looked at him for a moment. "Kid... I'll give you one thing," He began in somber tone, holding up his hand, energy beginning to form in the palm. "...If nothing else, you are persistent." He finished, giving Yusuke an eerie smile.

**.o.o.o.**

Kuwabara walked out into the street. Burning rubble and debris covered the area and he could see the smoke from distant fires rising up into the sky. All the windows in the general area seemed to have been blown out and there were also numerous crashed vehicles. One car was folded around a broken fire hydrant. The teen watched as a burnt newspaper flew past his feet.

"Oh man, this is bad... this is really bad." He thought out loud as he started down the rode, in the direction of the Records Building. He paused at the side of a crashed bus and looked around. "Who are these guys? How could they do something like this? Why?" He exclaimed in frustration. "They must have planted bombs to deal with the police and the fire department as well..." He thought out loud. "...leaving the city pretty much defenseless."

He turned around suddenly when he sensed something. Two distinct energy sources were rapidly approaching him. He was tense for a moment, but he soon realized that the first power that he had sensed was in fact Kurama- so the other one had to be Hikari.

He made his way around the assorted carnage littering the area- coming to a halt when he spotted the redhead in question, accompanied by the tall young woman. Both Kurama's long crimson hair and Hikari's dark reddish-brown hair fluttered in the wind as they moved. Kuwabara sped up and quickly met up with them beside a half-toppled buss stop. "Thank god you two are okay!" He exclaimed.

Kurama nodded. "And you as well," Kurama replied. "Our enemies seem to have inflicted considerable structural damage all of the city." He began. "I'm afraid to even consider the level of human casualties that they've caused..." He added.

Hikari stepped forward, a grim expression on her face.. "It's horrible... they've caused all this damage just for the sake of scaring us... it's their way of letting us know they're after us." She remarked in a bitter tone. "These aren't the tactics of warriors... this is just terrorism. Even when I was a _Hunter_, I never did anything like this..." She added. "This is just random indiscriminate violence!"

Kuwabara nodded understandingly. "Still, I'm glad that the two of you are alright... there was so much destruction all over the city that I couldn't be sure of anything." He admitted. "I can't really call it luck... but it's fortunate that you guys came through all of this in one piece."

Hikari paused, getting tired of having to constantly brush the strands of her long hair out of her eyes. She turned to Kuwabara. "Do you have something I could use a head-wrap?" She asked, giving him a weary smile as she spoke. He nodded and reached inside his jacket. After a moment, he handed her a dark red bandana. She quickly brushed back her hair before wrapping the bandana around her head and tying it up in the back.

Kurama mulled over Hikari's words for a moment. "Unfortunately... history has shown us that random violence is a quite effective way of instilling fear and panic." He replied in grave tone. "However, we're not shaken quite so easily... are we, Kuwabara?" He added, turning to the young man as he produced one of his special red roses in his hand.

Kuwabara looked at him, before nodding agreement. "Yeah, we can't let these guys get away with everything they've done." He replied. "We have to do something-" Suddenly, he felt a sensation similar to a cold wind blowing against the back of his neck and he fell silent.

Kuwabara shook his head. "...We have to find Urameshi- he needs our help!" The young man began frantically. "I've got a really bad feeling that he's in serious danger at the moment!" He added in an urgent tone. "Before we go..." He began. "There's something else that you need to know... It's about Hiei- he's back."

**.o.o.o.**

Hiei continued battling the silent warrior- his two black blades clashing with Musashi's lone silver blade. The three swords continued to strike against one another as the two fighters continued attacking and blocking. Then, in a chaotic flurry of movements, Hiei successfully blocked a lengthy series of attacks by his foe- finally presenting him the opening that he needed.

He blocked Musashi's blade with one of his black katanas. He then plunged its twin directly into his chest (easily passing through his armor) to deliver a killing blow directly to the heart! Hiei then deftly pulled the blade back out and looked up. The small fire demon was shocked as the taller warrior calmly looked down at him. He jumped back, but not in enough time to totally evade the the silent fighter's cleaving motion.

Hiei landed several feet in front of him. The fire demon glanced at his shoulder- noting that the fabric of his cloak had been cut clean through and he see that his own dark blood staining the black fabric. He winced slightly and turned back to face his opponent. _"I've been in enough battles to know that an injury like that can't just be shrugged off like that..."_ He thought. "Somethings wrong here... even a particularly powerful demon would have at least felt something. "...Just what exactly are you, my silent friend?" He asked.

The fire demon jumped to the side and landed neatly onto a railing. He turned to face Musashi, who only continued to stare at him impassively. "Let's see if this technique has any effect on you..." He announced. He thrust his arms forward- crossing the two identical blades in an "X" formation in front of him. Hiei focused and started channeling energy...

"_Lashing Flames of the Twin Dragons!" _He cried out. Hiei's aura flared up around him and then a powerful jet of black fire came forth.

The flames hit Mushashi before he could react- instantly setting him ablaze. The demon could tell that the warrior was being harmed by the fire- yet he still said nothing... even as he burned alive. Despite the fact that his whole body was being consumed by the darkness flames, Musashi suddenly turned around and looked right at Hiei (even as his armor and garb burned away.)

The small demon's eyes went wide as the flame-ravaged warrior made a mad charge right for him! Hiei was quick to react and jumped into the air- just before his attacker made contact with him. He easily landed behind the charging figure and turned around in time to see him violently crash through metal and glass guard rail.

Musashi went over the edge and plummeted down... and then it was over. His sudden impact with floor had sounded like a bag full of old twigs being smashed! The fire demon quickly rushed over to the edge, sheathing his swords as he looked down at the charred, crumpled heap below.

**.o.o.o.**

Kuwabara lead Kurama and Hikari through the downtown area on foot. The buses weren't working, along with pretty much everything else. Kuwabara was busy explaining hie brief encounter with their former teammate. "...He showed up out of no where and told me to find the all of you while he took care of the two of that masked guy"

The fox spirit nodded. "Yes, that certainly does sound like something Hiei would do." Kurama remarked thoughtfully. "Still... I hope that he can handle them on his own." He added.

Kuwabara nodded. "Don't worry, he seems a lot a stronger than the last time we saw him..." He replied coolly. "Right now, we have to find Yusuke." He added, his tone all business. "I haven't used any of my spirit energy, so I'm good to go. What about you guys?" He asked the the others.

Kurama shook his head in agreement. "Yes, I'm also still at full power as well- so that shouldn't be an issue." He replied at the three of them rounded a turn. "I hope that our abilities are enough... especially considering that the _leader_ could be there." He added.

Hikari shook her head and sighed. "I'm sorry... but I still haven't figured out how to reactivate my powers yet... They're still trapped inside me." She confessed in a sad tone. "...I hate being so useless at such an important time." She added.

Kurama looked at her, smiling as they continued down the street, past a crashed car. "Don't worry, you can't force these sort of things." He offered reassuringly. "When you powers are ready to re-emerge, they will." He added calmly. "In the meantime, our friend needs our help."

**.o.o.o.**

Hiei silently leapt down onto the lower level and carefully approached the burnt remains of what had been 'Musashi'. "...Now to get a better look at you." He murmured with a slight smile as he cautiously knelt down beside him. He reached over and took hold of him by the shoulder.

He turned him onto his back so that he was now facing upwards. Hiei looked down at the left hand, still clutching what remained of the burned sword- the handle and a small blacked section of the blade were all that was left. The other fragments were scattered across the floor.

He then noticed something unusual about the hand... The hand, as well as part of the forearm, was now partly visible do to the clothing and armor having been burned away. "What the hell...?" He thought to himself as he looked down at it. "Just what are you...?" He thought as he further inspected the body.

He slowly moved his hand towards the head. The helmet was charred and the horns seemed to have been burned off. The mempo (or face-mask) was in just as bad a state. He had simply meant to remove the mask, but the mere act of his hand coming into contact caused the mask to suddenly splinter and break apart in his hand.

He watched in shock as the devil mask crumbled into pieces and fell away. The battered helmet suddenly slipped back off of the head- perhaps as as result of the chin strap breaking. After brushing aside bits of ash and debris, the face became visible.

Hiei looked down at it for a moment, before nodding to himself. "Well now, this is interesting... So this is what we're dealing with..."

**.o.o.o.**

Nagashima rushed over to the side of the large black SUV- the image of himself and Botan cradled in his arms reflected in the black tint of the windows. He slung her over his shoulder and entered a code into the number pad on the door and the large vehicle clicked and flickered to life. Nagashima moved to the other side and reached over and slid the large rear passenger door open.

Now holding her in his arms, Nagashima managed to get inside the SUV and laid her out across the last row of seats in the very back. He slipped off his jacket and tossed it aside. Once he was sure that she was safe, he made his way back out and closed the door. He then returned to the other side and opened the driver's door. He sat down and gripped the steering consul- pressing the large round button and bringing the car to life. He closed the door and put the SUV into reverse...

Nagashima quickly pulled out from the parking space and rotated the steering wheel to maneuver the car so that it now faced the entrance to the parking facility. The agent could see that the yellow and black striped security arm was still down- blocking his way out! He could also see that the outside was visible just beyond it. He reached up and loosened his tie even more.

He shifted the massive black vehicle into 'forward' and Narrowed his eyes as he looked at the flimsy wooden blockade standing in his way. "Well... here goes nothing!" He exclaimed as he pushed the gas pedal down- feeling himself being pushed back into his seat as the car reached dangerously high speeds- heading straight for the light!

**.o.o.o.**

An explosion from inside the records building created a large hole in the side of the building that was facing the street. Secants later, Yusuke went flying through the second story blast hole and struck the paved street below. Gado emerged through the breach and looked down at Yusuke's motionless form. "Well, this sure looks the end of the line for you." He began.

He scanned the area, then effortlessly leapt down onto the street below. "You know, It really is too bad. I was expecting so much from you- and this is how it's all going to end?" He asked Yusuke in a mocking voice. "You're supposed to be Spirit World's greatest fighter! Your reputation built you up as some sort of unholy terror in battle, but this is pathetic!" Gado quipped.

He began walking towards him. "Oh well, I guess I can't be right all the time." He added and he started to advance towards his still unmoving body. "Besides, in the long run I suppose getting rid of you now is going to make things a whole lot easier." He added.

Camilla Gephardt and Robert Grayson suddenly emerged through the damaged front side of the building and quickly descended the massive flight of stone steps. Both the tall disheveled man (in his heavy overcoat and tie) and the attractive young demoness (dressed in her sleek black velvet outfit) were eager to watch Gado kill the spirit detective in front of them.

Camilla smiled, her strange yellow eyes catching the light. "That's it, Mister Gado- finish the little punk off!" She exclaimed enthusiastically. Grayson crossed his arms as he silently watched the one-sided confrontation... a smile on his face.

The tall demon paused and turned offer the two of them a smile. He then turned back to Yusuke, only to hear the distant roar of a car engine and the sound of skidding tires. Gado turned around just as a black SUV came crashing out from the parking facility. "What the hell?"

Nagashima angled the car and only just managed to avoid hitting a lamp post as he straightened the SUV out. He spotted both Gado and the prone figure of Yusuke lying in the street. He turned and floored the accelerator- striking him head on before he could react. The black SUV continued on its course with Gado clinging onto the front.

The demon locked gazes with the agent suddenly in a brief moment. Nagashima grit his teeth as Gado flared up his battle aura. The attack coming to a sudden stop as the SUV plowed through the brick wall of a building across of the street! Gado was sent flying in a flurry of brick and mortar as the SUV screeched to a sudden halt. Grayson mouthed a silent curse and made a b-line for the car.

Nagashima shifted into reverse- the wheels squealed violently as the battered SUV managed to tare loose from the wall and sailed backward into the empty street. The side door facing Yusuke slid open and Nagashima emerged. He made a mad dash towards Yusuke. Grayson suddenly appeared beside him, but the agent drew his gun and fired on him- hitting him twice in the chest and dropping him.

He holstered his gun and proceeded to snake his arms around Yusuke's chest from behind. He then lifted him up enough to drag him back to the waiting car. The young man was slowly regaining his wits and managed to plant himself into one of the middle seats. Yusuke glanced weakly over his shoulder at Botan and silently cursed himself as he slumped back into the chair. Nagashima worked the steering wheel as he moved the care. He straightened it out enough and floored the accelerator.

Camilla rushed over to Grayson and kneeled down beside him. Her state of panic was cut short as he suddenly sat up and looked around. He squinted his eyes and reached up to touch his face. "Quick, where the hell are my glasses?" He began in a confused tone before suddenly clutching his chest. "Fuck! The son of bitch shot me! He actually had the balls to pull the trigger..." He mused as he yanked his tie off and tore open the front of his shirt.

The young female demon watched in confusion as he tore his light blue dress shirt open- rending the buttons off in a single fluid motion. "But... I saw it, he shot you." She began.

"Shit, I've been shot so many time I lost count." He replied. "It only took the first time for me to start wearing one of these." He added as he turned towards her, revealing a heavy bullet-proof vest with two slugs embedded in it. "Still... it does hurt," He continued, glancing down. "Yeah... these look like 40 cal rounds... and not the cheep black market stuff. No, these are top grade government rounds." Grayson concluded with a smile.

"Trust you to come prepared..." Gado remarked as he emerged from the wreckage. He was covered in dust and dirt and scuffed up slightly, but was otherwise totally unharmed. Camilla helped Grayson get back onto his feet as Gado began swatting dust from himself. "Aside the little 'excursion' I just took part in, and those souvenirs of yours, I'd have to say this was one of our more productive days." He offered with a smile.

The tall man reached down and picked something up. Grayson watched as Gado placed his sunglasses in his hand. "I don't suppose you'd care to explain, would you?" Grayson asked. "I mean, if not for me- then at least for the benefit of our young friend here." He finished, gesturing to Camilla- who was still rather confused at the moment.

Gado smiled at him and nodded. "Of course, it's simple my friend... We've won- we beat them." He replied calmly. "You see Camilla, real victories aren't about how many people you kill, it's about the impression leave on the ones who survive." Gado reasoned in a sagely tone. "Right now, there are four spirit detectives out there... and they have to live with the idea that we can be anywhere at any time... and there's nothing they can do about it."

Camilla felt herself blush in silent admiration as he continued. "They know they'll never truly be safe anywhere they go... We've taken their cozy little suburban world and turned it into a hostile jungle where they are the helpless prey." He added with pride. "And as a result of today's events, both Yusuke and Spirit World know beyond any doubt that there is nothing they can do to stop us."

Gado looked to horizon and smiled. "The dominion of Spirit World is quickly coming to an end- and I plan to be there to watch as that corrupt, degenerate institution burns to the ground." He explained calmly. "This is just the start... The _Great Unification_ will be the catalyst that will fan the very flames that will destroy our enemies once and for all."

**(- End of Chapter 16 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

I guess Gado might seem a little over the top in this chapter, but we're far enough along now and deep enough into the storyline, that he's earned a few moments to gloat. Besides, I honestly love writing for him. Weather he's being subtle, threatening, or maniacal- he's a lot of fun to write.

For a while now, I've been dropping tiny little hints here and there about what's 'really' going on- just enough to hopefully have you guys wondering. So, Yusuke finally went up against his foe, and in the end- Gado defeated him. The Spirit Detectives are now effectively retreating. So for the moment, at least, it really does seem as if the 'bad guys' have the upper hand.

See you guys later,

-Bojack727


	17. Chapter 17: Damage Control

At the moment, it really seems like the only thing that the good guys can do now is fall back and try and figure out what their next move is going to be. It certainly looks like it's going to continue to be a pretty grim time for the Spirit Detectives and their allies...

If any of you guys know of the actor Clancy Brown? He's a very tall and imposing guy with this deep and slightly raspy voice. He's appeared in both movies and on TV- almost always as a big scary psycho. He's probably best known for playing the bad guy in the the first Highlander movie- you know, the_ Kurgan- _that nasty pale dude who kills Sean Connery. Anyway, I sort of based the character Gado on him (Brown, not the Kurgan). Gado is pretty tall (about 6'4"), and speaks with a fairly deep voice... much like Brown.

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 17: "Damage Control"**

**.o.o.o.**

Yusuke sat down inside the moving SUV, his eyes closed as he mulled over everything that befallen them that day. He grimaced, realizing that a series of events that could have easily filled an entire week had just taken place over the course of less than twelve hours. He slipped off his battered jacket and fell back into his seat- his white t-shirt visibly scuffed up from the day's events.

Yusuke exhaled in frustration. "Who the hell are these guys? And just what were they trying to accomplish?" He thought to himself. "So much death and destruction... And yet, somehow, it still seems so goddamned pointless when I look at it!"Yusuke thought bitterly to himself. He eventually opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder at Botan. The blue-haired girl was still unconscious as she lay in the back of the vehicle...

_Botan smiled warmly at him and leaned against his shoulder. "I sometimes wonder about things too... like what it would have been like I'd been the first girl you knew..."_

_"__...for me, it's just a fantasy, but for you- it's different. ...You can change things." She told him in a soft tone, without looking at him. "Life is unpredictable enough as it- you should know. ...when this is all over, go back to your mom..."_

He turned away and silently cursed himself. "All this time, it's been right in front of me for years... and I just went on treating her like just another friend..." He thought. "Shit, I've always known that Botan isn't just a friend, and yet..." He paused. "...I really screwed things up majorly this time." He thought to himself in a bitter tone.

"That woman... she had a kid. And now that kid's lost his mother." He thought to himself, reaching up and covering his eyes with his palms and exhaled, failing to compose himself. Then of course, he realized that he was over-simplifying the whole mess. He only knew about a small portion of the whole ordeal, the true scope of it all encompassed the entire city and its population. More so than him and his friends, it was the civilians that would have really suffered...

He paused his current line of thought. "...I wonder if my mom's worried about me right now?" He thought, before mentally reprimanding himself. "...What am I saying? Of course she's worried- she's my mother... How couldn't she be?" He told himself, rubbing his eyes.

Yusuke then paused and stared at the back of the chair in front of him. "Why can't this all just be some sort of terrible nightmare?" He thought. "Why can't I just wake up and find out that none of this actually happened?" He continued.

No, this was no nightmare, what had happened all very much real. And for Yusuke, and so many others, there was no way of escaping the reality of the situation. Still, perhaps the most disturbing part was that for the first time... they'd really lost. Sure, they'd been through some tough times, but they always managed to come through in the end.

This time was different, and he knew it. The main difference was that for the first time, they'd been forced to retreat. The fact that they were now escaping from the scene made clear that he had been resoundingly defeated...

_Gado paused, and casually turned around to face them. The only light now was coming from the glass facade behind him, so an eerie glow shined around his darkened figure. "So, you've finally arrived?"_

"_What's going on here? What the hell are playing at?" Yusuke exclaimed._

"_Hello..." He began with a smile. "I've been looking forward to this moment for quite a while now- we can finally get to know each other... There's no need to rush right now, we've got all the time in the world." He stopped about thirty feet before them. "My name is Gado Meshima, but I'm also known as 'Firefly'." He explained, gesturing to himself._

"_I've heard so much about you over the years- about the boy who brought down Rando the Manhunter and helped quell the Saint Beasts' Coup." He began. "And of course, we can't forget how you defeated Toguro at the Dark Tournament and how you finally put Sensui out of our collective misery."_

He looked up at the roof of the car as it continued moving through the streets. The windows were covered with a dark tint, but he could still discern all the damage that had been inflicted. The whole area was in ruins- buildings destroyed, fires raging, smoke rising up into the sky...

...And he'd been totally powerless to stop just one man. No, that was an understatement- this Gado guy wasn't a man, he was a monster- and not just any sort of a monster, he was a Mazoku! Yusuke shook his head and wondered if he'd grown arrogant over the years. After all, his unnaturally strong powers had always managed to see him through his battles- even the ones he hadn't survived!

But Gado had mopped the floor with him... No, again he was understating things... Gado had _reeducated_ him in the nature of pain- he'd given him a new definition of what pain was. The demon didn't just hurt him, he had _fucked him up!_ Gado just brushed off all of his attacks like they were nothing, like Yusuke was some sort of greenhorn. And then he went on to knock him around like a rag doll. It seemed that this man was in complete control...

"_That's the problem with you Spirit World people- you have no stomach for conventional violence." He began. "Pretty hypocritical though when you consider that your beloved masters train and employ assassins to do their dirty work, don't you think?"_

"_...you're still fooling yourself- you'll never have a chance unless you give up this self-righteous pretense of yours and truly commit yourself to killing me. I know you have a killer's instinct in you somewhere... It's just your morals holding it back, stopping you from becoming truly powerful."_

_Botan rushed over to Yusuke. "You monster, you have no right to compare Yusuke to something like you- he's nothing like you, he's a hero!" She exclaimed._

It seemed like there was nothing he could do to stop him. The demon just took everything he threw at him and retaliated with something even stronger. The young man figured that he was only given a small taste of Gado's true powers. The guys could have easily killed him at any point, but didn't. Perhaps he really just wanted to show Yusuke that he was weak? Well, if so... then he'd succeeded.

Yusuke glanced down at himself. He clothes were scuffed up and dirty, and he was covered in cuts and scratches. He was cut up, and his palms were stained with dried blood. Plus, he had some nasty bruises from the beating he'd received... He wondered if any of his bones were damaged- considering the fact that Gado had spent so much time kicking and punching the shit out of him and throwing him through walls- it would be a miracle if nothing was broken.

Yusuke reached up and touched the side of his head. He then brought his hand down noted half-dried blood smeared on his fingertips. Movies and TV always made fights seem so easy. The truth was that it hurt like hell when you were knocked through real glass or thrown against walls! Shit, it hurt like hell just to fall from a second story window!

Yusuke was smarter than most people gave him credit. And he had never been so gullible as to take the decrees of Spirit World at face value. However, he realized that in a way... Gado was right. The demon had pointed out the obvious hypocrisy of what they did...

"_...your 'hero' is nothing more than a common killer- the only thing that makes him different is the fact that he kills in the name of a so-called 'higher power'." _

"_All this carnage and destruction would never have happened if not for Spirit World... They put up the barriers in the first place. ...even as we speak, they're actively invading the Makai- enforcing their brand of law and order." He continued. "...the true legacy of Spirit World is how they take ordinary humans and turn them into weapons."_

"_...This is the true nature of Spirit World... You, Yusuke, are a product of their system- they saw the potential in you to be a killer, so they made you a detective..."_

Yusuke realized something- he had never stood a chance against Gado. From the start, the demon was totally in control of the situation. He had driven him to his breaking point... and had definitely broken him. But even worse than just physically destroying him, he showed him that he was weak... that he lacked the strength to stop him.

Not only had he failed to stop Gado, but things got so bad that Botan was put in danger. Yusuke berated himself, thinking about how he was supposed to be stronger that this... He should have been able to protect her from Gado. Instead, she was the one protecting him! Maybe, he thought- maybe Botan was really the brave one... If so, then he really wasn't much of a man either, just like Gado had said.

"_Tell me one thing, Grim Reaper... Are you really willing to give your life to protect him?" Gado watched as she clenched her teeth and strained every muscle in her body to keep going. He then noticed something else... something that Yusuke also saw. _

_He watched as her eyes began to water and as tears ran down her face... down the curve of her jaw and fell onto the floor below. "So it's true then, she really is willing to die..."_

_Suddenly, the attack stopped. Botan looked up, to see Gado standing in front of her. Gado was quick to catch her. "Don't don't worry, brave one, for you- the danger is over." He carried her off to the side... out of the way. He reached down and brushed the tears from her eyes, before rising to his feet._

"_What sort of man are you?" He then then placed the heal of his boot against his throat. "Look at you- you just laid there on the floor, while that girl risked her life to try and protect you!" _

"_...she's a hell of a lot braver than you'll ever be!" He went on, pressing slightly harder against his throat. "She said you were a hero! Is this how you repay her faith in you?" Gado suddenly lifted his foot up. "A real hero wouldn't let someone like me literally walk all over them!"_

Yusuke had lost to Gado- not in a minor way, but resoundingly. The seemingly invincible demon had defeated him with ease. Yusuke suspected that throughout the fight, he had only used minimal effort against him. Yusuke had raged against him- fighting him with every ounce of strength he could muster... throwing every attack he could come up with.

...And yet in the end, the powerful Mazoku just looked at him with an expression of disappointment and pitiable contempt. Gado had challenged his core values and beliefs. He made sure that he was aware of his shortcomings- both as a fighter and as a man.

In the end, he hadn't been able to protect anyone. Not the civilians... or even the people that he cared about. He had failed them all. He knew that Botan wouldn't hold it against him, but he still realized that he should have been able to do something more. He was supposed to be the strong one, the one that people could count on when things got bad. He'd been in so many battles over the years and overcome so much along the way...

And yet now, here he was- being beat down by an enemy so powerful that he most likely would have died if Nagashima hadn't intervened and saved him. After mulling over the last bit for a moment, he slumped back in his seat as the car continued along the street.

Yusuke was a mess- he was battered and cut up. He'd been beaten on like a punching bag and tossed around like a ragdoll. He looked like hell... and he felt like hell too! He was hurting bad from the encounter.

It was like what Apollo Creed had said to Rocky in the third movie. What was the line- it was something like...

"_...When you beat me, I hurt all over. I didn't want to know that hurt... Every fighter knows that hurt and we get sick inside trying to live with it..."_

That was it- a 'hurt' so bad that you didn't even want to acknowledge it. That pretty well summed up how Yusuke felt at the moment. But Creed had said something else in that scene...

"_...The truth is you didn't look hungry. ...When we fought, you had the eye of the tiger, the edge. You lost that fight for all the wrong reasons. You lost your edge..."_

Yusuke wondered if he'd 'lost his edge'... it certainly seemed like that at the moment. He shook his head, then looked to Nagashima, who was diligently driving the car. "...What happened to the other guy you were with?" He asked the weary-looking agent in a dull tone.

"Oh... you mean Morita?" He began. "...I'm pretty sure he's dead- I think one of those 'Disciples' killed him." Nagashima replied simply, masking his frustrations with exhaustion. Yusuke slammed his hand down against the arm rest at this latest bit of bad news.

The agent shook his head. "I don't even want to think about how bad the casualty reports are going to be..." Nagashima continued remorsefully. "There's probably gonna be a lot of bad news coming our way in the near future..."

Yusuke uttered a curse, then closed his eyes to let his thoughts drift for a bit. He was abruptly brought back to reality as he felt the vehicle slow down. He turned to watch as the sliding door opened and Kuwabara stepped inside. Kurama and Hikari right behind him. The redhead quickly closed the door and the car began moving again.

He watched as Kurama sunk down onto his knees, leaning against the door to catch his breath. "At least you guys are alright..." Yusuke muttered as he glanced over at them. Kuwabara had taken the seat beside him, while Kurama sat down behind them. Hikari was in the back, checking up on Botan.

Kurama nodded. "Yes... such as it is." He replied in a weary tone. "...We all have a lot to discuss, so we should return to Genkai's compound... It should be safe there." He reasoned.

"Keiko is still with my sister, back at our house- so we have to swing by there anyway." Kuwabara added suddenly. "Me and my sister can get our things together and then we can take Keiko by her place." The young man reasoned. "If it's not too much trouble for you to drop us off?" He asked, looking towards the agent.

Nagashima nodded calmly as he continued driving. "Sure, no problem- under the circumstances, I should probably be able to get someone to pick the three of you up when you're ready." He replied. "What about the rest of you?" He asked.

Kurama spoke up. "Well, you can drop me off with Yusuke and Hikari." He began. "After that, I just need to swing by my house to pick up some things. You don't need to worry about us- we should be able to get back to Genkai's without any trouble." He added before turning to Kuwabara. "We can meet up with the three of you tomorrow."

Nagashima listened to the plan and nodded. "Right, that sound good to me." He replied. "I can wait for you and take you back to your house when you're ready to go." He offered them, getting a nod and smile of thanks from Kurama.

Yusuke had been silent the whole time as he listened to the others. "Right, I'll catch up with the rest of you later... I have to take care of a few things over at my place before I go." He added. "Go on over to your place without me- I'll just catch up with you later..."

**.o.o.o.**

Kuwabara had gone on to explain Hiei's sudden appearance to Yusuke, who mulled over the info as they headed for the apartments where he lived. Botan eventually awoke, but remained silent for most of the ride... She was exhausted, but she reassured the others that she would be alright. Yusuke had tried to avoid eye-contact with her as much as possible.

The dark-haired young man made his way up the stairs, to where he lived with his mother. Kurama and Hikari's path soon diverged in a different direction, so he was on his own. It was early evening now as he stood just outside the door, mustering the courage to go on inside.

After a moment, Yusuke unlocked the door and quietly stepped inside. It was dark, though he could see light coming from the den, as well as the sound of the television playing. He walked further inside and spotted his mother sitting on the floor, watching the TV.

The news was on, reporting about the "terrorist attack" down town. Her back was facing him as he approached her, so she didn't notice him at first. After a moment, she must have heard him, because she turned and looked right at him. "Oh my god... Yusuke?" She exclaimed, a panicked look in her face.

She was about to get up, when he started towards her. "Oh my god- what happened to you?" She asked as he dropped down before her. Yusuke said nothing as she looked at him. "I was watching TV when the news came on and said that a shit load of bombs had been set off downtown... and that it was probably some sort of terrorist attack!" She added nervously.

"I was worried sick about you! I hadn't heard from you all day!" She exclaimed. "And... and then I hear about this happening... For god's sake, you could have been killed for all I knew!" Yusuke looked up at her and Etsuko Urameshi was taken back by the shell-shocked expression on his face. Her son looked like he'd come straight out of a war zone. "Yusuke- why are you all beaten up? God, don't tell me you were there when it happened?"

She paused as he started to tremble and clenched his fists. His eyes filled up with tears as he shook all over. When she knealed down in front of him, he suddenly grabbed hold of her and broke down- sobbing uncontrollably as he held onto her form. "Mom..." He struggled to say. "I was there... I saw the bombs go off... it was horrible..." He spoke as he cried.

She hesitated for a moment, but quickly put her arms around him and held him against her. She was surprised by his behavior. It had been a very long time since anything like this had happened. He'd never been all that touchy or emotional with her. "Yusuke...?" She began to say.

"Mom, I'm sorry... I'm s-so s-sorry- for everything." Yusuke continued. "I'm sorry for m-making you worry... not just today... but for all the times!" He continued amidst tears as he held onto her. "I never meant to cause you so much grief... I didn't want to keep upsetting you..." He continued.

"I- I've been so selfish all these years... I never even tr-tried to see thing from y-your side." He paused as the tears continued. "I love you mom... I'm n-not just saying this because of what happened today." He added. "I was so involved in my own shit that I never took the time to tell you..." The young man managed to choke out. "I mean it, Mom, I love you..."

The woman was silent for a while as she took in his words. However, her expression quickly softened and she pulled him closer so that his head was now resting against her collarbone. This might have seemed strange at first, but the actions were instinctive. In spite of how she came off or how she sometimes acted, she was still his mother...

Etsuko reflexively ran her hand through her son's dark hair comfortingly while holding onto him with her her other hand. Her actions seeming to tap into a motherly instinct that she had never really totally forgotten- it had just been tucked away in the back of her mind. "It's okay, I know, I've always known..." She told him in a soft voice.

"I know because I'm your mother..." She told him, kissing him on the forehead. "You're my son, and no matter what happens, I'll always love you Yusuke." She told him softly in a reassuring tone as she held onto him. "You know that, right?"

He looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Thanks, Mom..."

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama walked beside Hikari, the former apparition carrying a large duffel bag with her. The two of them them made their way down the steps of the apartment complex. Hikari paused and looked over at Kurama. "Do you think Yusuke is going to be alright? I'm kind of worried, he seemed really disturbed when we spoke." She commented.

He turned to her, tucking his hands into his pockets and nodded. "Well, to be honest, I'm not really sure... While we've faced a lot of dangerous situations, this whole situation seems different." Kurama remarked. "I think Yusuke is having trouble coming to grips with how serious this really is... And he's always had trouble dealing with his emotions, so I don't know just how upset he really is." He admitted. "I'd like to believe that he'll pull through in the end, but I'm just not sure..."

Hikari nodded. "I hope he'll be alright, for both his sake and ours." She replied. "If the disciples decide to start moving in force, then we'll need Yusuke." She reasoned. "Still, I don't intend to remain idle throughout all this... I'm hoping that perhaps Master Genkai can provide some insight into how I can activate my powers." She added with a determined expression.

"An admirable goal..." A voice remarked from off to the side.

Kurama and Hikari turned to see Hiei approach them. "I take it that you are Hikari?" He asked her, getting a nod from the young woman. "Some rather disturbing rumors have begun spreading in the Makai... I came here to investigate these rumors." He explained. "And now it seems that the rumors are in fact true." He added as he stood before them.

"I've only had brief encounter with these 'Disciples'- as they call themselves." He began, his cloak shifting slightly in the breeze. "However, in that short time, I've made some disturbing discoveries." He added in a serious tone. "While this may sound like an overly dramatic remark- something distinctly sinister is going on within this very city."

The small fire demon stood before the two spirits. He was wrapped up in his cloak, his jet-black hair shifting slightly in the night breeze. Hiei smiled strangely as he looked at Kurama and Hikari, before speaking up. "It's as I said, I came here to investigate something..." He began in an even tone.

There was the sound of rustling under his cloak- then the heavy black garment parted in the front with a flourish of black fabric. "Unfortunately, not only have my suspicions been confirmed..." Hiei paused as he held something up. "I now realize that the situation here on the World of the Humans is far graver then I had originally expected." He added as he tossed the object to Kurama. "Just take a look at _that_ and you understand."

The fox spirit caught it easily. "Yes, I can see your point..." Kurama remarked as he glanced down at it. "I already had some idea of the extent of things... your presence here confirms that something serious must be going on here." He paused briefly, before going on. "...Something so serious that it would warrant you coming here in person."

Kurama continued. "Unfortunately, we're in no condition to be discussing tactics right now..." The redhead stated. "You may have already guessed, but we're still recovering from the day's events." He explained. "However, tomorrow, when we've regrouped at Genkai's compound... then we can start to try and formulate some sort of plan." He reasoned. Kurama then tossed the object back to Hiei, who tucked it back inside his cloak.

Hiei nodded. "Yes, well... Just by looking at the sheer level of carnage and destruction- it would seem that these 'Disciples' have already done a great deal of planning of their own." He quipped, flashing a dark smile at the redhead as he continued. "...At any rate, it's getting late." He observed. "And I'm sure that you and the others will have some questions."

The female spirit had listened to their conversation the whole time. Hikari looked first at Hiei for a moment, then turned back to Kurama. "Even though I'm pretty well out of the loop, I'm guessing you two guys must know each other somehow?" She asked the fox spirit as she brushed a hand through her messy hair.

The red-haired youth smiled at her and nodded. "The two of us go back many years. We've worked together for a while- both officially and unofficially." He replied. "This is Hiei, he was the fourth member of our team during many of our most dangerous assignments. ...Though now, he's a courtier to the Great Demon, Lady Mukuro."

Hiei grinned deviously. "Well that's certainly a much prettier description of it than I would given." He replied. The fire demon then looked at Hikari. "And you, my dear- who might you be?" He asked the tall girl with a smile.

**(- End of Chapter 17 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

I don't have much to say. For the first time in a while, the chapter ended up running a bit short (in the first draft). I hope you all enjoyed reading this. If there are still any lingering questions, the next chapter should explain things a little better.

-Bojack727


	18. Chapter 18: The Sound of Soft Rain

This series has proved be quite a daunting project at times. The story content, chapter lengths (higher page and word counts), and the sheer complexity of everything have made this this particularly challenging. There's a hell of a lot going on, and a lot of characters to keep up with and keep track of. I've had to plot a large number of episodes out in advance.

This series has proved be quite a daunting project at times. The story content, chapter lengths (higher page and word counts), and the sheer complexity of everything have made this this particularly challenging. There's a lot going on, and a lot of characters to keep up with. I've had to plot a large number of episodes out in advance.

Still, I've enjoyed writing this- and I think I owe it to myself (and the readers) to finish "Dark Season". I hope you guys are also enjoying the story and will keep reading it. It's definitely nice to have Hiei back in the story now... The guys are going to have a lot of catching up to do!

**.o.o.o.**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 18:  
****"****The Sound of Soft Rain"**

**.o.o.o.**

Yusuke bolted upright- momentarily confused. He quickly calmed down looked around... he was on the couch in the living room. He guessed that he must have fallen asleep at some point. He glanced down to examine himself and realized that all his cuts, scrapes and scratches had been tended to- he guessed that his mother must have sterilized and bandaged them.

The woman in question walked into the room, holding a cup of coffee in her hand. She walked up to him and sat down beside him. After a brief period of silence, she spoke up. "I think I must have always known that the path you walk is different from most people..." She began. "Still, it's hard for me to just accept it... I'm your mother, and I worry about you." She paused to sip from the cup in her hand. "However, I also realize that you're becoming a man- and you have to find your path." She added.

"The path I have... it's complicated." Yusuke began, smiling faintly. "From the moment that car hit me five years ago- I've been walking in two worlds. The 'real' one, and the one 'phantom' one." Yusuke continued. "But I guess you sort of knew that something was going on when I came back to life?" He asked her.

Etsuko chuckled to herself. "I know that you came back for a reason... and I think it's linked to all the strange things that have been going on around here." She replied. "Like the riots, then when you and Kuwabara went off to that island, or when the whole city seemed to be taring itself apart and that ray of light exploded out of the ground..." she mused.

The dark-haired young man nodded. "And those ones are only just a couple of them... Yeah, I guess it really is a tough gig- but someone has to do it." Yusuke remarked dryly, crossing his arms behind his head and smiling nervously.

Etsuko took another drink from her cup and became quiet. After a moment, she turned to face him. "Yusuke, I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and there's a lot that I now regret..." She began. "But having you as a son isn't one of them..." She added. "Your birth was the most important thing that ever happened to me, because for the first time I was able to give something to the world... Your my light, my hope... and I love you."

Yusuke became silent for a while, taken back by what his mother had just said. He closed his eyes, feeling them begin to tear up as he put his hand over his mouth. After a moment, when he could compose himself enough, he turned back to look at her. The dark-haired teen reached over and took her hand in his, squeezing in a comforting gesture.

Etsuko felt herself blush when her son suddenly reached out and put his arms around her, pulling her against him. "Mom..." He began, still holding onto her. "I know that I keep saying this, but I'm sorry for all the worry I've caused you and I want to you know that I love you." He added softly, kissing her on the cheek. He then pulled back and looked at her with a smile. "So please have faith in me..."

**.o.o.o.**

It was earlier in the day when Kuwabara walked through the front gates of the compound, along with Shizuru and Keiko. The three of them quickly crossed grounds and made their way inside. Once inside the front hall, he turned to the two girls. "You guys should go find one of the rooms and get situated." He explained. "I'm going to go see who else is here."

Keiko nodded in understanding and urged Shizuru to follow her. With that, Kuwabara hoisted his duffel bag over his shoulder and went on ahead. He made his way down a long hallway. The outer wall was made of wood and looked out onto the courtyard, while the inner wall was lined with paper walls and sliding doors. The youth set his things down in one of the guestrooms and went on. He paused when he came up to an archway that led outside.

Kuwabara stepped outside, onto the shaded wooden walkway that surrounded the parameter of the inclosed courtyard. He tucked his hands into his jean pockets as he surveyed the area... It was an ideal summer day and the place seemed so peaceful and serene. He glanced to his side when he sensed something, and spotted Hiei casually leaning against the wooden railing. "Have the others arrived yet?" He asked as he approached the fire demon.

Hiei shook his head. He wasn't wearing his usual black cloak at the moment, so his twin short swords were visible- tucked into the back of the belt that was tied around his waist. "No, we're the only ones here at the moment- aside from Genkai and Yukina... And the two females who came with you." He replied. The demon was wearing black trousers that were tucked into his boots, and a black vest over a white long-sleeved shirt.

Kuwabara Nodded. "I haven't sensed any hostile energies in the area at the moment- so it looks like we're safe for the time being." He reasoned as he walked up alongside the smaller fighter. He slipped his reddish-brown windbreaker off and draped it over the railing- revealing the simple light blue t-shirt he had on underneath."Still, with these guys we've been fighting... well, we have to prepared for anything." He finished.

The fire demon nodded calmly. "So, I gather that you and the others have been dealing with these so-called 'Disciples of Darkness' for some time now?" He asked, prompting a nod of affirmation from the tall human. Hiei straightened up and turned to face him. "From what I've gathered- they seem highly organized and totally ruthless." He added. "It's just as well that I showed up when I did." He then leapt over the railing and into the courtyard.

Kuwabara hopped over the rail and followed Hiei into green expanse. He caught up to Hiei as he began walking along the stone path. "Hiei," Kuwabara called out. The demon came to a stop and looked at him. "You've changed... You've gotten a lot stronger- I can feel it." He added.

Hiei nodded. "Yes, I have changed... I've gotten wiser as well." He continued. "Serving Mukuro has helped me to better understand myself." He reasoned. "But you've also changed as well- both in strength and in character." He countered.

Kuwabara was about to say something, when Yukina approached them. She rushed over to the tall young man. "Kazuma, thank goodness you're alright. I heard about what happened and I was so worried!" The Ice Maiden exclaimed in a concerned tone, placing a hand on his wrist- which caused Kuwabara to blush slightly.

Yukina then blushed, her pale cheeks turning a rosy hue as she realized that Hiei was there. She turned to him and smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry, welcome Hiei... I'm glad you're here." She began, managing a formal tone and a bow. "I'm sure the others will be glad to see you." She added, placing her hands in front of her as she smiled at him.

The short demon simply smiled back at her and nodded. "Hello Yukina." He replied. He then glanced at Kuwabara and nodded. "If the two of you will excuse me, I have some things to take care of. I'll see you two later tonight." He added before departing from the scene.

Yukina turned to Kuwabara. "Kazuma, is Hiei upset? I was just..." She started to ask. "Oh no... I didn't interrupt anything important, did I?" She asked him. He looked down at her... Yukina was dressed in one of her usual yukatas. He noted how her blue-green hair and brilliant crimson eyes caught the light, and how wonderful she looked.

Kuwabara shook his head and smiled. "No, not at all." He replied. "Right now, I'm just happy to see be able to see your face again, Yukina." He replied as he knelt down beside her and placed his hands on her delicate slender shoulders. "...You're so pretty Yukina." He added in a wistful tone, causing the Ice Maiden to blush darkly.

**.o.o.o.**

Gado sat down in front of the computer and activated the up-link. The program loaded and the large 'window' flickered to life on the screen. Harada was visible in it. "This is Gado, I'm checking in boss- are you receiving me?" He began.

Harada nodded. "Yes, the feed is coming through without a problem." He replied casually. "Now then, I take it that you have some new information for me?" He continued. "So tell me, how did your little 'foray' into the city go?" He asked with a smile as he adjusted his glassed.

Gado nodded. "Yes, well... The attack on the city went well- much as we had expected." He began in a calm voice. "The Spirit Detectives were totally unprepared for our attack... They seem to have little to no experience in dealing with large scale death and destruction." Gado paused. "Yusuke Urameshi seemed particularly affected by this when I confronted him."

The last bit seemed to grab the dark-haired man's interest. "Really now? How very interesting..." He began in a thoughtful voice. "But please, do go on- I'm eager to hear more about your clash with the detective." Harada replied calmly.

"The kid was totally out of his element yesterday." Gado offered with a smile. "He seems used to charging blindly into conflicts with no sort of plan... He's used to winning and being in control of things- So I imagine it was quite a blow to his ego when he realized that there was nothing he could do to stop us." The tall demon paused. "When he finally tried to fight me, I was able to easily repel all of his attacks."

Gado continued. "I hurt him badly... I made him bleed. But not just that- I could sense fear in his heart towards the end." He revealed. "He's afraid of us, Harada... and it's going to be that very same fear that will soon spread throughout Spirit World like wildfire." He added in a dark tone. "We're coming for them, and they'll know that there's nothing they can do to stop us."

Harada nodded. "Thank you, my old friend." He began. "It gladdens me to know that I can count on you to lead our forces against the minions of Spirit World when the time comes." He continued in a serious tone. "So much has happened in the last few years... Despite their effort to convince everyone that they supported the deconstruction of the Kekkai Barrier, the truth is that they simply don't have the power to rebuild it."

"So, with no other choice, they've had to fall back for fear of incurring the wrath of the higher-level demons. They've made a major political concession to avoid a protracted war, a war that Spirit World knows they couldn't possibly win." Harada continued with a smile. "And so now... the time of the 'Great Unification' is fast approaching..."

Harada continued. "Professor Kusano has already completed the next stage of the project. We successfully projected matter, intact, through the portal system." He explained. "Each step brings us closer to realizing our goal... And when that day comes- we will crush Spirit World and brings and end to that corrupt regime once and for all." He added.

Gado smiled. "Yes... I eagerly await that day." He replied. "There is another thing- Shimmer reported encountering someone who matched the description of Hiei." He added. "I'm going to send an image of him captured, and her report, for you to look over."

The dark-haired man nodded. "Even if Hiei is here, it's of little concern- he's no more of threat to us than any of the others." Harada reasoned. "You should have no trouble destroying him along with the others when the time comes."

**.o.o.o.**

Kurama and Hikari were the next to arrive at the compound. The two had been chatting until they reached the massive outer gates. They fell silent as they passed under the heavy archway and reached the inner gate. Once inside, they were greeted by Hiei.

The fire demon got them up to speed, explaining that as soon as Yusuke and Botan arrived- they could finally discuss things as a group. Hiei glanced at Hikari. "In the meantime, you should talk to Genkai about your powers- she's likely to know of some method of reactivating them."

The female apparition perked up at this. "I certainly hope that Master Genkai can help me- I have find a way to reactive my powers." She replied.

Kurama noted the frustrated look on the young woman's face. "Don't push yourself to hard... Attempting to forcibly activate your spirit powers could prove harmful." He offered with in a soft tone while flashing a smile.

"He's right, you know..." Everyone looked up to see Kuwabara approach them. "I had a similar problem about four years ago... My spirit energy went into a dormant period where I couldn't use my abilities at all." He explained.

"Much like how a caterpillar encases itself in a cocoon- only to emerge as a butterfly." Kurama added helpfully, smiling at the tall youth as they made their way into the compound.

"Exactly..." Kuwabara countered, glancing at Kurama. "When they finally came back, I had a new ability- the _Ji'Gan-Tao_." He explained with a smile as they veered down a hallway.

Hikari was taken back. "Wait... you mean that you possess the legendary 'Dimensional Sword'?" She asked in amazement. "The Ji'Gan-Tao is one of the sacred lost weapons... possessing the power to cut through the fabric of time and space!" She exclaimed.

Kuwabara rubbed the back of his head as she continued. "So many have sought the weapon over the centuries. It's truly amazing to think that you were able to wield such a powerful weapon at such a young age." She commented.

He blushed slightly at her words. "Well at first, I couldn't properly control it... I didn't even know how to consciously summon it... it was more like a reflex."

"What do you mean?" Hikari asked with a quizzical expression.

The group stopped as Kuwabara looked at her. "The thing about my powers is... that most of my abilities first manifested without me deliberately thinking about it. It appeared just as this guy was about to hit with his kendo sword."

Hiei nodded as he walked up alongside Hikari. "Kuwabara's powers seem to be linked to his emotions." He explained. "Especially in times of great crisis or emotional turmoil." He added, looking right at Kuwabara.

Kuwabara looked at the young woman for a moment. "You see... Yusuke was literally being beaten to death right in front of me... and there was nothing I could do." He explained.

Kurama silently looked at Hikari as she listened. "I felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness... and grief and outrage at the fact that my friend was about to die and there was nothing I could do..." Kuwabara paused. "The moment I finally mastered the Dimensional Sword was... the exact moment that Yusuke was killed." He finished.

Hikari was silent for a few moment. "Yes, I can understand..." She began. "Many evil beings have sought the Ji'Gan-Tao... So the fact that it was bestowed upon you tells me that a higher power must be at work." She continued. "In evil hands, it's a instrument of destruction and chaos... In your hands, it can be an instrument for good."

As she finished, Kuwabara found himself smiling at the girl. "Thanks, I'll do my best to see that it's put to good use."

**.o.o.o.**

Gado walked into the elevator, where he was greeted by Nawari. "Ah, there you are, I was looking for you." He began with a wave. "So, did your little chat with Harada go well?" He asked, resting his hands on his hips- the pale flesh contrasting against the black leather.

He grinned at Nawari as he pressed the button and the doors closed. "I explained what happened and he was quite pleased with the results- especially when I mentioned how they reacted to the little surprise we arranged for them." He began as the elevator started moving. "Harada has also informed me that that the research team was successful with the second stage of their research." He informed the smaller demon with a smile.

Nawari smiled broadly at the new, causing the "feral" markings on his face to arch in a way that made him resemble the Cheshire Cat. "Our leader is truly wise in such matters... Without his efforts, none of this would be possible... it's because of his vision that we'll be able to realize our goal." He remarked, brushing a pale hand through his long silvery hair.

"Indeed," The taller demon retorted. "He also mentioned something else... something rather interesting." He began. "He said that if we could learn the means by which the Spirit World agents move freely between the human world and the spirit realm, than we could launch an attack against the very heart of their empire."

"Yes... destroy the head and the body will die." Nawari reasoned with a smile. "Certainly, it shouldn't be too hard to get the information out of one of their agents... In fact, I suspect that Samedi could extract the needed information with his powers..."

Gado nodded at the idea and rubbed his chin. He then looked down at his comrade. "I take then that you have something particular in mind?" He asked.

Nawari looked up at him and smiled. "We already have a prime candidate to extract the information from..." His angular eyes narrowed in a fox-like manner. "She who ferries souls across the River Styx as did the Boatman Charon in times of old... Yes, I'm certain that one of the Reapers would provide us with the means of breaching the veil."

Gado cackled at this. "Yes, I had a feeling you would suggest that..." He began. "Botan would be the best choice, though I'd hate to force the information out of her..." He remarked. "Still, we must achieve our master plan- and if we can eliminate a major obstacle in the process, then all the better."

**.o.o.o.**

Botan arrived at the compound- dressed in a pair of black capri pants and a white ruffled shirt with a black vest over it. She was also sporting a pair of trendy black sandals.

As she entered the compound, she had been surprised when none other than Hiei had appeared and greeted her. The black-clad fire demon was shockingly calm and amiable as he beckoned her inside. The blue-haired Reaper had taken it in stride and simply followed him as he let her further inside to meet the others already there.

Botan stopped when she spotted Yusuke. Hiei noted the awkwardness between them and excused himself for a moment as the others gathered. The dark-haired young man looked at her for a moment before speaking up. "Botan..." He began, walking towards her. "I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you were put in such danger..."

Botan blushed as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "And to thank you for you did... you risked your life to protect me... You were really brave- I just wanted you to know that I'm grateful that you're my teammate and my friend." He finished.

Botan glanced away as his blush darkened. "Yusuke... it was the least I could do. You've done so much for all of us over the years..." She replied with a small smile. "I could only dream of being as brave as you are."

Yusuke looked at her with a warm expression and shook his head. "No, I'm not all that brave... You're the brave, you were much braver than me." He added with a weary smile. Botan simply nodded and returned the smile.

**.o.o.o.**

Kuwabara and Yukina were sitting out in the courtyard. "I'm really sorry that I made you worry Yukina..." He offered to the small Ice Maiden beside him.

Yukina shook her head. "It's alright, there's no need to apologize, Kazuma..." She began with a smile as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I've always known that you were the kind of person who couldn't back down when confronted with evil or injustice." She admitted. "You were only doing what was right... Just like what you've always done, since the day we first met." The Ice Maiden smiled warmly as she finished.

Kuwabara felt his face become flushed. "Yukina... More than anything, I just want to be able to always protect you... I've felt that way from the first time I saw you." He replied, causing her to blush faintly. "But more than that, I've wanted to be with you- to have you in my life."

Yukina smiled to herself. "Oh Kazuma... you're always with me" She began, placing her hand on her chest- over her heart- as her blush darkened. "Since we first met, you've been in my heart... I just didn't understand then and I didn't realize it when we first met." She added in a happy tone. "But I understand now, and I feel the same way... I'm just so happy to have you in my life"

Kuwabara smiled and took her hand in his. "When I saw that image of you alone in that tower... I knew it was fate telling me to save you." He admitted. "It was as if the red thread of destiny had linked us together." He paused. "When I see you happy and smiling, it shows me what a strong person _you_ are... So you see, you're _my hero_, Yukina- I love you."

The small Ice Maiden's blush darkened at his declaration. "Oh Kazuma..." She began to say. "All my life... I've always felt that something was missing..." She continued with a smile. "But then you came into my life, and helped me to understand what it means to love someone." She added, wiping tears from her eyes as she spoke. "...I love you Kazuma."

Kuwabara reached around and placed his hand against the back of her head and leaned her against him. He then looked down at the Ice Maiden's crimson eyes with his own. She closed her eyes as he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers- kissing her softly.

**.o.o.o.**

Gado was walking down one of the many halls in the building when he sensed someone coming. He turned around in time to see Camilla appear at his side. "Gado sir, my uncle wanted me to tell you that he had something important for you to see." She explained with a smiled.

The tall fighter regarded the black-clad young demoness for a moment before nodding. "Yes of course, thank you my dear." He replied, placing a hand on her shoulder as he continued. "So tell me, how was it- did you enjoy your first official excursion?" He asked her, giving a broad smile as they continued down the hall.

"Oh yes, it was very exciting to get to see it first hand- you and Mr. Grayson are such naturals. I can't wait to learn even more from you." She replied enthusiastically.

Gado smiled to himself. "You're a good kid, Camilla. And you have a lot of potential." He began, causing her to blush slightly as they walked. "Keep up the good work and I'm certain that you'll become an important part of our group."

"I promise, I'll do my best for all of you- I won't let you down!" She replied in a determined tone that made Gado smile.

**.o.o.o.**

Hiei sat at the head of the table. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama were also there, sitting alongside the table. And Hikari, Botan, and Genkai rounded off the assembly.

The fire demon spoke. "Somehow, these people have managed to carry out a large-scale operation without being caught by either Spirit World or by the powers in the Makai." He explained. "Even efforts by myself and Lady Mukuro's other elite operatives failed to bring up anything useful... and I take it that Spirit World is equally in the dark about these people?"

Botan nodded. "As I thought." He began. "However, we can perhaps still gain some knowledge of them through the encounters we've had so far... I only myself only recently arrived, and the Demoness that I encountered with Kuwabara retreated almost immediately." He added.

"Yeah, she's one of the ones we saw at the hospital when they came after Yusuke." Kuwabara remarked with a nod. "The other one was dressed like a cowboy- he's the one who snuck up on Botan and took her hostage... He said that he could fire his spirit energy through those old guns of his." He added.

"I know the ones you're talking about." Hikari began, slightly nervously. "The Demoness' name is Shimmer, and the gunman was called 'Badman'... but I don't know his actual name." She added. "She's not just window-dressing... she's very dangerous. If she retreated, it was likely for tactical reasons." Hikari explained.

"...Kuwabara and me were able to take out the first one of the Disciples- Kagamaru." Yusuke offered him in a low tone.

"The one that I fought was just a human." Genkai remarked. "He didn't have any sort of powers that I could see... Even at my age, I was still able to evade his attacks and take him out with relative ease." The psychic master paused. "I didn't kill him though... they did that."

"The night that I 'released' Hikari, another demon- calling himself 'Blade'- came after me that same night." Kurama explained, glancing at Hikari, who blushed faintly in response. "He wasn't very strong though... I was able to kill him with little trouble."

"The ones that I fought were the Puppet Master and 'Emelia'." Kuwabara began. "We went after them- but Gado showed up and prevented the others from going with me." He explained. "The Puppet Master relied on his _puppets_ to fight for him... But when it came down to it- he tried to use my sister as a shield. Somehow... the nature of my Spirit Sword changed at the last second and only harmed him."

Hiei nodded. "Yes, you mentioned that... This 'Emelia'... or 'Kugutsuko' as the demon called her. I've heard of such being like her before- animated mechanical fighters controlled by a master... Who thus becomes, in effect, a _puppeteer_." He explained. "Though the one called Emelia is far beyond anything I've ever heard of."

Yusuke suddenly chimed in. "When Gado showed up to stop us, 'Shimmer' was there... along with two other guys. One looked all painted up like a skeleton and wearing a top hat... like some sort of Voodoo spirit or something..."

"He's likely one of the other three..." Hikari offered. "However, the two that you spotted around the building with Gado during the attack on the city..." She paused momentarily. "While I don't know what the remaining members looked like, I do know that they were both men. So that girl you saw can't be part of the original group."

"Exactly, so if you count the one I killed... that makes fifteen in total." Hiei offered. "And I'd imagine that there's been far more than that the whole time." He added. "But the biggest concern by far is the one leading them- this Gado." He added, looking at Yusuke. "Urameshi, based on what you told me- about how unstoppable he was... He might actually be a Mazoku."

"But Lady Mukuro is a Mazoku, and from what I've heard- she's virtually invincible!" Botan exclaimed with a look of despair.

Kuwabara turned to Hiei. "If he's one too, then is is possible that he could have the same lever of powers that she has?" The tall human asked in amazement. "I mean, if he does, then how could we have any chance of stopping him?"

Hiei smiled inwardly. "It's a little more complicated then that... My Master, the Lady Mukuro, has lived a long time and had to fight bitterly to create her empire from the ground up... She's overcome great hardships and loss, which has helped to temper her into a ferociously powerful being." He explained with a note of pride.

"Just simply being a Mazoku doesn't guaranty that level of strength." Hiei continued. "Still, they are the elites of Demon World... Strength and power flows in their blood, it is encoded in their very DNA." He explained. "I'd rank myself and the other three as all being S-Class... But Mukuro- she's easily a hundred times stronger then all of us." He explained, garnering a shocked look from everyone.

"But Gado isn't the only problem..." Hiei began, holding something up. "We also have to contend with the other four demons, who are likely to be among the strongest... as well as any future allies they may bring in." He explained in a somber tone. "And in addition to all that, there's this..."

**.o.o.o.**

Camilla ushered Gado into the large room. "My Uncle asked me to bring you back to this lab, so he has to be in here somewhere." She remarked, running a gloved hand through her hair as she looked around.

Gado tucked his hands into his jacket pockets and surveyed the area. It was filled with a variety of strange looking equipment and machinery. At the center of the room, a massive circular machine had been set up. A drape hung over the top of it, but six'slabs' projected outward from it.

"_Welcome... to the laaab!"_ Reinhardt declared in an almost lyrical tone as he suddenly appeared from out of the shadows. He hopped up onto one of the tables and sat down. _"Care to come down... and check out what's on the Slaaab?"_ He asked theatrically- there was a slight hissing to his words that betrayed his true nature.

"Perhaps some other time... _Doctor Frank_." Gado replied with a faint smile, much to the scientist's amusement. "Right now, what I'd really like is to know is whether 'it' is ready." He added.

Reinhardt hopped off of the table and back onto his feet. "As a matter of fact, _the Animus_ is ready." He replied. "Musashi was a just a test run in preparation of the real thing... All that remains are the final checks being done on the six host bodies that you chose." He added.

Reinhardt walked towards them and motioned for Camilla. "Come here, kiddo- give you're uncle a kiss." Her said with a smile, ruffling her fiery red hair as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm so proud of you." He remarked, putting an arm around her. "And your mother's going to thrilled when she finds out what you've been up to!" He added enthusiastically.

With his arm still around his niece, he glanced back at at Gado. "However, I must say things have taken longer then usual because of the difficulty in finding such varied and sophisticated host bodies as you requested... let alone six of them."

Gado smiled at him. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but they had to be unique because of the nature of what they'll be doing." He explained. "They're going to play a major role in the battles to come... so they had to be perfect."

Reinhardt nodded. "I'll send for you as soon as we're ready to begin the process."

**.o.o.o.**

Hiei unwrapped the object and set it down on the table...

The object in question was a mechanical arm, ending about halfway up the bicep. The break at the end of the upper arm revealed a nest of complex mechanisms, servos, and circuitry. The limb itself was highly articulated, with a high degree of detail visible despite the numerous scratches, ash, and scorch marks covering the exterior.

"I took this off the _fighter_ that I and Kuwabara encountered." Hiei explained to the group. "He, or rather _it_, was in fact some sort of reanimated cadaver... augmented with mechanized limbs like this..." He continued. "There were several internal augments, including some sort of device implanted directly into the spine, near the base of the neck..." He added. "I think this is what controlled it and prevented it from registering any pain."

Botan became pale. "You're saying that they've discovered a way of reviving the dead... and using them as fighters?" She asked nervously. "This, this is horrible! This goes well beyond simply violating the rules and regulations of Spirit World... It..."

Kurama interjected. "It goes against the very laws of nature." He offered. "If they really have found a way to infuse life force energy into dead tissue to reanimate it... Then things are much worse than we thought." He added. "I can't even begin to fathom the true depths of what this could mean..."

Botan sighed and shook her head. "This is serious, Lord Koenma has to know about this... These people, they're endangering the very nature of existence."

Yusuke observed the conversation as Kuwabara responded. "W-wait, slow down... Just what exactly are you getting at here- how can these things they're making be such a threat?" He asked her in a slightly nervous tone.

Botan turned to face him. "Look at it this way Kuwabara, nothing is meant to live forever... Everything is born in some way and undergoes a cycle of life that is its lifespan, and a part of that cycle is death." She explained. "Spirit World exists to bring order to that cycle, to ensure that the flow of life from one plane of existence to another works properly."

Botan continued in a serious tone. "If these people are successful, then they'll have found a way to bypass the system entirely... They'll have found a way to create life from death, and that would endanger the whole of existence." Botan remarked. "Everything that Spirit World has done- all the controls, all the regulations, all the safeties... all of it would cease to mean anything!"

Kurama nodded gravely at her assertion. "In other words-_ 'A chain of events that would set in motion the unraveling of the universe'."_

"I don't think the Disciples are all that concerned with those rules and regulations... And they certainly don't seem to share the accepted view of Spirit World role either." Yusuke offered, catching everyone by surprise. "When he wasn't beating the crap out of me, I got the impression from what he said that they view Spirit World as being the villains in all this."

Botan shook her head in frustration. "Regardless of their political views, they are still threatening the balance of life and death!" She exclaimed. "I don't think I need to lecture you, Yusuke, of all people on the delicate nature of existence."

"I think we're missing the real point here." Hiei inserted suddenly. "Right now, these people are our enemies. We have to find a way to stop them before they can do any more damage... It's time that we started fighting back."

He then rose to his feet. "Officially, I'm here on behalf of Mukuro- both as her agent as a gesture of goodwill." Hiei explained the others. "However... I'm also here because I have an obligation to the rest of you... I've chosen to stand alongside you in battle. So if the Disciples intend to come after the Spirit Detectives again, then they'll be facing all four of us next time."

**(- End of Chapter 18 -)**

**.o.o.o.**

Wow, that chapter was LONG: just over 11 pages and more than 6000 words! I had a hell of lot of storytelling that I needed to get out of the way. And even after cutting some scenes, it still ended up being one of the longest single pieces I've ever done.

After this chapter, I'm going to have to do some thinking about whether I'm going to continue this as one long series, or split it in two segments.

-Bojack727


	19. Chapter 19: The New Path

This chapter is much lighter than the last one... in almost every way. Many of the scenes in this were a lot of fun to write, so I hope you all will enjoy reading this. It's definitely nice to have Hiei back in the mix, and to have him being civil with the others!

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

**YU YU HAKUSHO: DARK SEASON**

**Episode 19:  
"The New Path"**

Kuwabara found the door was slightly ajar and looked through the gap. He spotted Yusuke sitting on the floor, up against the wall with his his head slumped down. He briefly took note of the distant look in his eyes before moving on. Kuwabara could only shake his head...

Kuwabara stepped out on the covered walkway surrounding the inner courtyard. It was dark out now, and he could hear the crickets chirping amidst the greenery. He turned around in time to see Hiei approach him. The tall youth nodded and leaned back against the wood railing as the black-clad fire demon passed him.

Hiei then paused, placing his hand on the railing, and looked up at Kuwabara. "Change is coming... Somehow, I can sense it." The fire demon remarked. "Even here, I can faintly sense the air of approaching conflict... As if the land now bracing for war."

Kuwabara nodded. "I know what you mean... So much has happened in just a short period time- yet I somehow know that the true conflict hasn't really even begun." He replied. He glanced off to the side as the wind caused chimes to clatter.

Hiei nodded. "Well, it's not is if we're strangers to conflict... Trouble always seems to follow us like crows." He remarked with a smile. "For us, the change started some time ago..." He paused. "Cast out into that land of darkness, I saw the nature of the beast... what true evil was." Hiei explained in a serious tone. "...But most importantly, I began understand the value of selflessness."

Kuwabara nodded. "That was a difficult time for both of us... Still, I gained a lot of valuable insight- of both my self... and you." He grinned at the last part. "Now, as I keep fighting... I'm not doing it for myself, but for the people I care most about." He continued. "But most of all, I want to make the world a safer place for Yukina... one where she can feel safe and happy."

Hiei reached up to touch the Tear Gem around his neck (through the fabric of his clothes). He then looked back at Kuwabara. "Four years ago, I would have been infuriated by hearing you say something like that..." He remarked with an almost nostalgic smile. "But now, I think that I understand..."

The short fire demon continued. "Because of my nature as a demon, I was ill-equipped to appreciate the value of sentiment..." Hiei explained to him in a low tone. "When I'm with Mukuro, I'm finally able to feel... at peace." He then looked up at Kuwabara. "You were right, Kuwabara- A man fights to protect that which he holds dear... And I don't want Mukuro to ever have to feel such ever again."

Kuwabara nodded. "I wish I could have been there, with you guys in the Makai..." Kuwabara began. "Urameshi told me about your battle with her in the tournament- he said that she tore you Dark Fire Dragon in half!" He added enthusiastically. "She sounds... amazing."

Hiei nodded proudly. "Everything about her is amazing... Her strength, her cunning, her... _beauty_." He paused on the last word. "In spite of what was done to her- she became one the strongest demons in all of the Makai." Hiei looked directly at Kuwabara as he spoke. "You were right... People can grow stronger in the face of overwhelming odds- she is proof of that!"

The small demon exhaled. "But enough about that..." He began with a smirk. "Tell me, truthfully- you're worried about Yusuke, aren't you?"

Kuwabara nodded gravely. "Yeah... he's a wreck." He began. "That fight he had really messed him up ... worse than he's letting on." He admitted with a sigh. "I don't think I've ever seen him like this before... I'm not sure what's going to happen."

Hiei nodded and crossed his arms. "He's our friend and comrade... and I'd like to be able to count on him in the battles to come..." He began. "However, we have to be prepared for the possibility that this could be an enduring problem for him..."

"And if that's the case, then what do we do?" Kuwabara asked.

The fire demon gave a serious expression. "The only thing we can do... If Yusuke is unwilling or unfit to fight, then we must go on without him." He replied bluntly. "That, I'm afraid, is the nature of what we do... if he becomes a liability, then we're better off without him."

Kuwabara exhaled. "You're right," He began, placing his hand on his head. "It's just... well, I never thought we'd be facing a situation like this... He's always been so confident in the past..." The tall human explained. "To think that this guy is so strong, it's a pretty scary thought..."

Hiei shook his head. "Luck and stubbornness can only get you so far..." He countered. "This time, I think Yusuke has finally met someone who's truly his superior in every perceivable way... and that deeply disturbs him." The Jagan-barer countered. "For all Yusuke's strengths, he's an infant when compared to this Gado... He simply doesn't have the killer instinct needed to stop him."

"Though, that's a matter we'll have to save later." Hiei paused. "I need to report back to Mukuro- I'm certain that she'll want to know how things have developed." The fire demon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "...Given the circumstances, I think someone with more extensive insight and experience on the problem should come back with me."

The two turned in time to see Kurama approach them. The redhead stopped and smiled at the two of them. "I just happened to have overheard what you said- about someone accompanying you back to the Makai." He began. "If I may, I'd like make a suggestion..."

**...o.o.o...**

Nagashima looked over the information on the report. "...And you're saying that this was the cause of Morita's death?" He asked, setting down the file and turning to another agent. He appeared to be in his early to mid 20s, with short black hair and a youthful face.

"Yes sir." The agent began with a nod. "The autopsy that was carried out indicated that he died from Carbon Dioxide Poisoning." He explained. "The levels of CO2 present in his lungs were extremely lethal, he likely died within minutes... But that's not the oddest part, Hypoxia kills slowly- but Morita died right away, as if _all_ the oxygen in his body was turned into carbon dioxide."

"Turning oxygen into CO2..." Nagashima mused. "The transformation of molecules, the rearrangement of chemicals and toxins on an atomic level..." He thought aloud. "Sato, I think I might have a idea about who we're dealing with here."

Nagashima headed over to a nearby computer and sat down. He logged in and quickly brought up a database. "I remember hearing of similar cases like this. While the details varied, there was a common element in all of them- each person was killed by a fatal chemical change in their body." He explained to Sato as the younger agent looked over his shoulder.

"But how could someone do something like that?" He asked. "I mean, the ability to alter or even change the atomic structure of elements within a human body so that it becomes toxic... That's simply just not possible!" Sato protested.

"You're right, it shouldn't be possible... And yet, there's a man loose in this city that can do that very thing." Nagashima countered. "You can't look at this from a scientific of technological perspective, you have to take a more... _esoteric_ point of view." He reasoned to the other agent. "There are eighteen known cases on record matching the MO... The earliest one happened in 1981 in Vancouver, while the most recent one took place last year in Seoul."

"He's known as 'Mr. Gray'." Nagashima revealed. "And in the last fourteen years, he's killed people in North America, the UK, Europe, China, Japan, and South-East Asia." Nagashima continued in a grim tone. "Who knows how many people he's killed by conventional means..."

Sato nodded in agreement. "Yes, he's certainly kept busy... But why is he here now? And more importantly, what can we do?" He asked.

"It's likely that he's working for these 'Disciples'." Nagashima replied. "All we can do right now in stay on guard and keep watch in case these people try something." He remarked with a sigh as he scanned the information on the screen. "In the meantime, I'll try and figure out if he has any known associates- perhaps that could help fill in the missing pieces." He paused and looked up at Ayano. "One more thing... Make sure that the missions kits include the new equipment."

**...o.o.o...**

Kuwabara mulled over the recent events of the night before, especially his conversation with Kurama and Hiei. The Fox Spirit had shocked him by suggesting that he go to the Makai with Hiei- explaining that Kuwabara had the most first-hand experience with the Disciples. Hiei agreed to this, and Kuwabara eventually conceded as well.

At the moment, however, the young man had more immediate issues... Chiefly, his date with Yukina. The two of them were going to celebrate their anniversary. Despite all the chaos and destruction in the city, he'd kept her gift perfectly intact- so he was looking forward to giving it to her. He was also glad that he didn't have to worry about Hiei interfering... The fire demon seemed to trust him now, and had made no attempts to stop him from being with Yukina.

On a somewhat related note, it seemed that Kurama had invited Hikari to go out with him. Kuwabara had initially been surprised by this, but it quickly made sense when he thought about it. The two former spirits appeared to have grown closer recently. The tall youth smiled to himself, he had started to wonder if Kurama would ever show any interest in someone.

Kurama had invited Hiei, but the fire demon had declined- opting to remain at the compound. Most of them knew that there was something between Hiei and Mukuro... something that went beyond simple loyalty. As if attempting to goad him, Kurama had openly theorized that his relationship with Mukuro had helped to smooth out his rough edges. For his part, Hiei remained silent on the matter, and neither confirmed or denied the notion.

However... Yusuke was still having a hard time. Even now, he still seemed to be just as disturbed by his fight with Gado (and his near death at the demon's hands) as when it had first happened. He'd become very quiet and withdrawn... as if lost in his own thoughts.

Everyone was genuinely at a loss as to what to do... aside from waiting.

**...o.o.o...**

Keiko walked out onto the hillside behind the compound. Darkness was fast approaching when she spotted Yusuke looking beyond the valley and the forest, towards the horizon. She walked up alongside him, noting the the lantern in the grass beside him, glowing warmly.

Without looking at her, he spoke up. "After all this time, I didn't think there was anything left that could surprise me... But then these Disciples of Darkness come along, and everything's changed." He began. "It's not like before when I've had to go into battle- there's no thrill or sense of anticipation... Just fear and doubt." He added in a somber tone.

Keiko sighed and looked at him. "Yusuke... danger isn't supposed to be something you should look forward to." She replied. "Whoever these people are, they're very dangerous... and they're willing to go to great lengths to accomplish whatever their goal is." She stated.

Yusuke turned to look at her as she continued. "Fear is a part of survival, it tells us when to run from danger... Now right now, you have to run... because the stakes are just too high for you try and play their game." She explained. "...It's like you said, this time something is different. From what I've seen, these people don't want to invade us... they want something different."

The young man looked at her and nodded. "_He_ said that I didn't know real fear- that I'd forgotten what it was like." Yusuke replied. "Needless to say, I'm scared now..." Yusuke added bitterly. "But doing nothing is just as dangerous as standing my ground and fighting." He reasoned. "And because me and the others have been singled out- I have to fight back. I have no choice... they're not not just going to wait around for me to get stronger- sooner or later, they're going to 'move in for the kill'."

Yusuke paused. "However, there's no quick fix... I can't afford to just hope that I'll suddenly gain some amazing new ability at the last secant..." He reasoned. "It's not just a case of the world ending or not- the consequences of all this are going to be lasting... This time I'm going to have find a new way to stop these guys..."

Keiko was silent as she looked at him. "...What are you planning to do then?"

Yusuke shook his head and crossed his arms. "I don't know, I just don't know..."

**...o.o.o...**

Kurama and Hikari made their way through the windings paths of the Tea Garden. Night had fallen and the only illumination came from the various stone and paper lamps that were spread throughout the area. Hardly anyone else was there, so the two former spirits were able to simply enjoy each others company in peace.

Kurama turned to look at Hikari, his brilliant red hair was pulled into a ponytail in the back. He smiled and took her hand. "Since I was reborn, I've learned quite a bit about humanity and human nature." He explained as they came up to a stone footbridge. "While humans can be violent and destructive, they can also be sensitive and compassionate."

She blushed faintly as they walked. "Yes, I think I understand what you mean." She replied, returning his smile. Hikari's usually messy reddish-brown hair had been pulled back (with clips) so that the long bangs were out of her eyes. "It's that duality that makes their way of life so compelling." She reasoned as they reached the other end and stepped onto the grassy bank.

They paused under the the branches of a reclining tree. It was late summer and there was a slight chill in the night air... Kurama wore a long overcoat (along with his long-sleeved shirt and jeans) while Hikari was sporting a tan duffel coat (over her sweater and black trousers). In in the partial darkness, she could partly make out his crimson locks and green eyes.

Hikari didn't recognize the look on his face at first, but she quickly felt her cheeks become warm under his surprisingly appreciative gaze. She realized that she must have been blushing at the moment as well. "...Kurama?"

He took note of her confused tone and smiled. In the silence, the faint trickle of running water in the nearby stream could be heard. He leaned in close. "Oh sorry, it's just that… I was just thinking about how pretty you look right now." He remarked in a casual tone.

The girl went wide-eyed at his confession. "Y-you can't be serious... I mean I'm so awkward and tall... And my muscles... I-" Her protests were cut off abruptly when he closed the gap between them- kissing her on the lips. She made a faint whimpering noise into his mouth, but didn't pull away from him. It felt strange, but his lips were warm and the kiss was incredibly soothing.

**...o.o.o...**

Hiei set down the book he'd been checking out and looked up to see Yusuke walk into the room. The fire demon regarded him as he approached. "...I take it that something is troubling you?"

Yusuke looked at him and nodded. "Yeah... I've got troubles." He replied. "But... that's old news. Other things are are going on as well..." He added with a smile. "For instance- you've certainly changed a lot since I first met you. It's hard to believe that you're the same Hiei that I fought back then."

The demon nodded. "Yes... I'm the same person you first met... yet, I'm also much different." He reasoned calmly. "As for the rest of what you said... I have changed. But change is part of life... If we didn't change, we would never move forward." Hiei paused. "But you should be more interested in how _you've_ changed and how _you're_ going to change."

Hiei continued. "Though, something tells me that you already know this... Because you're going to have to change if you want to have any chance of surviving your next encounter with the enemy." The fire demon added. He walked up alongside him. "Of course, as the past has shown us... if anyone has a chance- it's you." He finished, smirking as he left the room.

After Hiei left, Yusuke turned away from the door and shook his head. He picked up one of the the book from the shelf and began skimming through it. "...Change."

**...o.o.o...**

The band played on an elevated stage while people sat at the numerous tables. The lights were low, so the main source of illumination came from the lamps on the tables. One of the players skillfully ran his bow across the strings of his instrument...

The two of them together certainly made for an unusual couple... He was tall and gruff, while she was small and delicate. The two were seated on mats- on either end of the small table- across from each other. Yukina was dressed in a full-length dark blue kimono with a light blue obi and trim. The Ice Maiden's aquamarine hair hung loose against her back.

Yukina looked at him and smiled warmly. "Oh Kazuma, this place is wonderful..." She remarked as she looked a round- her words punctuated by the trill of of a harp.

The young man nodded. "Well, I had to do a little digging to find out about this place..." He began, peaking her interest as he spoke. "...It turns out that this place has a history of hosting other spirits and apparitions in the past." He added with a smile.

As a flute played gently in the background, Kuwabara reached into his jacket and placed something down on the table, in front of Yukina. "Go on... open it up." He said with a smile.

The small Ice Maiden blushed as she picked up the little box and opened. "Oh... Kazuma..." She spoke in a hushed tone. "It's beautiful..." Her blush darkened as she spoke.

It was an ornate silver locket, adorned with etchings and scrolling lines. It was attached to a threaded silver chain and the centerpiece was a dark red stone- the same brilliant red color as her eyes. Yukina held it up, watching as the stone picked up the light and almost seemed to glow.

"I hope you like it... I had a feeling you would the first time I saw it." Kuwabara began as Yukina pulled her blue-green hair aside so that it hung down in front, over her shoulder. "The stone reminded me of your eyes..." He added as he finished fastening it.

Yukina reached up and flicked her her back to its original position. She smiled at Kuwabara as he sat back down across from her. "It's wonderful Kazuma..." She replied happily. She then removed a small pouch from her obi and handed it too him. "This is for you..."

She placed the pouch into his hand and sat back down. Hinata then watched as he opened it and produced a strand of prayer beads. "I made that Rosary specially for you... The blessing on it will help keep you safe from evil." She explained with a slight blush.

Kuwabara wrapped the rosary around his wrist... "You're like an angel, Yukina..." He began in a soft voice. "I love you... And no matter what, I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again." The young man replied. At that moment, a musicians hit a wavering note on the strings of his violin as Kuwabara leaned forward. Yukina leaned in and met his lips with her own- the two of them sharing a kiss...

**...o.o.o...**

Yusuke was sitting before Genkai. "Looking back at what happened, I realize now that I can't defeat Gado as I am... Even I can see that he's in a totally different league from me." Yusuke explained somberly. "As a demon of his level- as a 'Mazoku'... he's stronger, faster, and far more experienced than I am." He added in a serious tone.

"And I realize there's no simple solution to this... I can't gamble my life on some sort of miracle occurring when I fight him... I just simply don't have the power in me to stop him." Yusuke added in a serious tone. "That's why I have to overcome my own weaknesses and flaws..." He stood up and looked at her. "...I have to find the power within myself to stop him, even if that means pushing myself beyond my limits- both physically and mentally."

Genkai nodded. "Sounds dangerous..." She began as she got to her feet. "I'm not going to lie to you... These people are dangerous- especially that leader of theirs." She added, walked over to where he was standing and looked up at him. "If you're really serious about this, then you're going to have to do some serious soul searching, Yusuke."

The psychic master walked towards the door, then suddenly paused. "The only real question for you now... is if you can deal with what you're confronted with." She added. "...Good luck kid." She nodded and left the room.

**...o.o.o...**

Kurama was walking down one of the halls of the compound, smiling to himself. He paused at the sight of Yusuke leaning against the wall, his hands tucked into his pockets. Kurama quietly approached the dark-haired teen and paused beside him. "Yusuke...?"

Yusuke looked at him and smiled. "I was hoping that I'd run into you tonight... There's some things I wanted to discuss with you." He began.

Kurama regard him. "Go on..."

Yusuke exhaled. "I have to get stronger... Mentally and emotionally." He continued. "It's not just a matter of strength- I have to take things to the next level... I have to overcome my own fears. So I was hoping that you'd help me."

After a moment, Kurama nodded and smiled. "When you put like that, how can I refuse? ...Alright then, I'm in." He replied calmly.

**...o.o.o...**

Kuwabara finished packing his duffel bag. He paused and picked up the pouch containing the rosary that Yukina had given him. He held it up and looked at for a moment, then tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket. He then picked up his bad and slipped it over his shoulder.

Kuwabara stepped outside and was greeted by Botan. He smiled at her, noting that she was dressed in her casual clothes. Hiei was standing nearby, wrapped up in his dark cloak. He paused, and looked back over his shoulder to see Shizuru. "Sis...?"

The brunet stepped forward and looked him right in the eyes. "So, you're really going there- to the 'Heart of Darkness'?" She asked him in a calm tone.

He nodded in response, then noted that her hands were empty. "Wow, I guess you really did stop smoking?" He asked her with a smile.

She nodded. "Yeah, I think I sort of lost my taste for danger..." She replied dryly. "Well anyway, I don't want to hold you up, little brother... So good luck." She offered, flashing him a smile.

"We'd better get going." Botan announced.

The three of them began heading towards the front of the compound, where they were greeted by Yusuke, Kurama, and Hikari. The dark-haired boy looked a little rough around the edges, but otherwise he was okay.

"Sorry I can't go with you, but I've got things I need to sort out back here." Yusuke remarked with a smile. "I just wanted to say good luck... And hopefully, I'll have something to show for my efforts by the time you get back."

Hiei grinned at his remark. "Yes, I suppose we will..." He began. "When we get back, we'll see just how much you've changed." He added with a slight nod.

Kurama looked at the demon and the human. "It's best you stay focused on you task... Yuske and myself will still be here if anything happens- so we can get word to Spirit World." He added with a smile. He then turned to Hiei. "Oh, and please give my regards to Lady Mukuro."

**...o.o.o...**

Botan, Hiei, and Kuwabara stood before Koenma's desk. The young prince listened at the blue-haired ferry girl explained the situation to him. After a moment, he nodded.

"Given the current situation, I see no reason not to authorize your transit back to the Makai." Koenma replied calmly. He then looked at the fire demon. "And Hiei, please send my regards to the Lady Mukuro." He added with a smile. "Unofficially, myself and the top brass in Spirit World view her as being most capable of bringing stability to your land."

Hiei nodded an affirmative. "Of course... in that regard, both Spirit World and Alaric have a common interest." He continued. "I'll be sure to relay this to my master."

"Thank you... And as for you, Kuwabara, I have a task for as well." Koenma began, as one of his ogre attendants appeared. The red ogre handed a wooden case to the tall human, he looked down at the container- it appeared to be about 8 by 10 by 3 inches in size.

"That case contains the Official Seal of Spirit World..." He began. "I want you to deliver that to Mukuro as proof of our good intentions." Kuwabara looked at the box for a moment, before nodding and tucking it into his pack.

**...o.o.o...**

The human and the fire demon stood before the small gateway. Both turned to see Botan approach them. The blue-haired ferry girl handing them both an object that resembled a large lady's compact.

"These are spirit world communicators... similar to the ones we used to use, but far stronger in both strength and range." She explained. "They should be strong enough for us to reach you... should the need arise." She added with a small smile.

Hiei placed the communicator inside his cloak. "Anything else?" He asked coolly.

She shook her head. "No... All that remains now is to with you both luck and a safe and productive visit to the Makai." She added with a smile.

With that, the nearby attendant activate the small gateway. The two spirit fighters stepped through the ripple wall of energy...

**...o.o.o...**

Hiei stepped out into the grassy incline. As he looked around, Kuwabara observed a distant mountain range in the east and a dense forest to the west. He looked to Hiei. "Where are we...?"

The fire demon turned to face him as the sky turned a faint purple color. "We're within Mukuro's domain, the Kingdom of Alaric." He explained. "From here, we're about four hours from the main stronghold." He finished. "We couldn't get closer because interference from the barriers..."

Kuwabara nodded as he continued to look around. "It feels so different from the human world... it's almost like I can sense nature itself. But there's something else... it's sort of like I can feel the energy floating in the air." He observed calmly.

Hiei nodded with a smile. "Yes, it's the primal nature of the land... unspoiled by modernization." He paused. "We'd better get going, if we're going to reach the fortress by nightfall." And with that, the two departed, setting out across the Makai...

**(- End of Chapter 19 -)**

**. .. ...o.o.o... .. .**

Not a whole lot to say at this point... I hope you all are enjoying this. I've been working real hard to make sure that this series is the best it can be. Anyway, I'll see you guys later.

_-Bojack727_


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